Groceries Code Adjudicator Act 2013

What advice, guidance and recommendations does the Adjudicator give?

11 Advice

The Adjudicator may give advice on any matter relating to the Groceries Code to suppliers or large retailers.

12 Guidance

(1) The Adjudicator must publish guidance about—

(a) the criteria that the Adjudicator intends to adopt in deciding whether to carry out investigations;

(b) the practices and procedures that the Adjudicator intends to adopt in carrying out investigations;

(c) the criteria that the Adjudicator intends to adopt in choosing whether to use the enforcement powers and which ones; and

(d) the criteria that the Adjudicator intends to adopt in deciding the amount of any financial penalty under section 9.

(2) In addition, the Adjudicator may publish guidance about the practices and procedures that the Adjudicator intends to adopt in carrying out other functions.

(3) The Adjudicator may publish guidance about—

(a) the application of any provision of the Groceries Code;

(b) steps that large retailers need to take in order to comply with the Groceries Code;

(c) any other matter relating to the Groceries Code.

(4) Before publishing guidance under this section the Adjudicator must consult any persons he or she thinks appropriate.

(5) The Adjudicator must publish the first guidance under subsection (1)(a), (b), (c) and (d) within 6 months beginning with the day on which section 1 comes into force.

(6) Where there is any guidance in force under this section, the Adjudicator must take account of it in carrying out functions.

13 Recommendations to Office of Fair Trading

If the Adjudicator considers it appropriate for any changes to be made to the Groceries Code, he or she must recommend them to the Office of Fair Trading.