Amazon rated worst for supplier compliance in GCA survey

Amazon has ranked bottom for compliance in an official survey of grocery retailers, with more than one in three suppliers saying it rarely or never complies with rules on fair treatment, according to the Times.

Only 66% of Amazon suppliers said the company consistently or mostly adhered to the Groceries Supply Code of Practice, compared with an industry average of 93%, according to a survey by the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA). Lidl, the next worst performer, scored 91%.

Close to 34% of Amazon’s suppliers told the outlet that the company rarely or never complied with the code, compared with less than 9% at Lidl and just 2.25% at Waitrose, which topped the rankings.

Amazon suppliers were also far more likely to have reported a problem to the company in the past year.  Nearly 13% said they had done so, compared with 3% at Sainsbury’s, the second worst on this measure.

According to the Times, the findings follow the GCA’s launch of a targeted investigation into Amazon last week, citing suspected breaches of rules on fair payment practices. 

The regulator, which was set up in 2013, enforces the groceries code across retailers with annual UK grocery turnover above £1bn.

Amazon has featured in the annual GCA survey since 2022 and has ranked last each year. The GCA said overall supplier treatment across the sector was improving.

Mark White, groceries code adjudicator, told the Times he was encouraged by the trend but added: “I expect retailers to review their results and make changes in response.”

Retail Sector has contacted Amazon for comment.