Campaigning to control ‘super’market powers
Symon Hill examines concerns about the market power of the supermarkets
Friends are among the campaigners pressing politicians for action to rein in the power of supermarkets, with the aim of preventing global wage reductions and the destruction of small businesses. They are urging the government to appoint a supermarket ombudsman who could respond to allegations of abuse. Business secretary Peter Mandelson has agreed to make such an appointment – but only after a three-month consultation exercise.
Campaigners fear that the delay will see the policy lost in the confusion of the general election campaign.
While all three leading parties are committed to appointing an ombudsman, there are concerns over whether such a post would be truly independent and able to investigate issues proactively.
The charity War on Want have accused UK supermarkets of profiting from a series of abuses in their supply chains. They say that many South Africans earning ‘well below a living wage’ are working on farms supplying fruit and wine to UK supermarkets. The charity also allege that British supermarkets are selling flowers produced by Colombian and Kenyan workers on ‘poverty pay’.
Marazion Local Meeting in Cornwall recently identified a concern about the dominance of supermarkets ‘in a wide variety of retailing and other services throughout the UK, limiting our choices of varieties and businesses’. They resolved to write to the Monopolies Commission to express their concern.
War on Want’s Seb Klier told the Friend that ‘We need an independent and proactive watchdog to protect workers and suppliers from the abuse of supermarket power’.
He urged Friends to ask their MPs to attend a debate in the House of Commons on 5 March, when Albert Owen MP will propose a Private Members’ Bill to introduce an independent ombudsman with meaningful powers and a wide remit.
