“Through changing a number of internal processes and reducing costs, we have made it easier, simpler and cheaper for suppliers to do business with us,” said Blackhurst. “And we have also committed to ensuring we pay our suppliers on time and the whole team works to ensure we resolve disputes in a timely manner.”
However, he recognised Morrisons still had more to do. “We know we face a challenge in a number of areas, such as further improving our joint forecasting with suppliers and the consistent delivery of agreed planned activity in our shops.”
Blackhurst was speaking at the Groceries Code Adjudicator’s (GCA’s) annual conference in London on 25 June at which the results of this year’s GCA groceries sector survey were released.
Improvement table
The figures indicated that Tesco, Morrisons, Asda and the Co-operative took the top four spots, in that order, in the GCA’s improvement table for compliance with the Groceries Supply Code of Practice (GSCOP). The data revealed it had been a year of strong progress across all regulated retailers.
Morrisons went from being last in the GCA’s survey in May 2016 to the number two slot this year by listening to critics and putting a clear plan in place, backed by rigorous training and strong governance, Blackhurst reported. Central to its progress has been 12 new ways of working with suppliers, which embraced key aspects of the GSCOP, he added.
Adjudicator Christine Tacon said: “My 2018 survey tells a very positive story and it is no coincidence that the four most-improved retailers this year have each faced increased GCA scrutiny and heightened levels of GCA engagement through investigations and case studies.”
Earlier this year, the Government rejected calls to extend the remit of the GCA, but pledged to introduce measures to protect smaller suppliers, including a £10m collaboration fund.