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Friends of the Earth demands supermarket watchdog 'with teeth' |
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Friends of the Earth, 24th April 2008 Friends of the Earth is demanding that the Competition Commission take tough action on supermarkets in the final report of its two year-long grocery market probe, to be released this Wednesday (29 April 2008). |
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Watchdog slammed for abandoning poorest workers |
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War on Want, 15th February 2008 Tesco and Asda let off hook over exploitation. The anti-poverty charity War on Want today attacked the Competition Commission remedies report on supermarkets for ignoring the impact of the big four supermarkets’ buying practices on workers in overseas supply chains. |
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Competition Commission backs down on controversial supermarket planning recommendations |
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Friends of the Earth, 15th February 2008 Friends of the Earth has welcomed the Competition Commission’s decision to drop controversial proposals to make it easier for supermarkets to build more edge of town and out of town stores. The group has been campaigning against these proposals since they were first set out in October 2007. |
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Spoof ad highlights how Tesco destroys shops |
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An on-line ad featuring a voice over by Alexi Sayle is urging shoppers to spend a few more pounds at local stores to stop them from disappearing completely...read more... |
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Gertruida is back: South African fruit picker takes on might of Tesco |
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ActionAid, 29th June 2007 South African fruit picker Gertruida Baartman will today confront Tesco bosses about the poverty pay and terrible conditions on many of the farms supplying their stores...read more...
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Unite announces further Tesco drivers' strike in Scotland |
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TGWU, 31st May 2007 A second strike has been called in the bitter dispute at the Tesco distribution depot at Livingston near Edinburgh over changes to job contracts and union representation...read more...
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GMB demo at Tesco head office |
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GMB, Wednesday 30th May 2007 GMB MAINLY MIGRANT WORKERS STAGE DEMONSTRATION OUTSIDE TESCO HEAD OFFICE TODAY OVER FAILURE OF COMPANY TO HEED SAFETY WARNINGS AT ITS SUPPLIERS SITE FEATURED IN BBC WHISTLEBLOWER PROGRAMME. |
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GMB Union, 22nd May 2007 GMB MAINLY MIGRANT WORKERS STAGE DEMONSTRATION OUTSIDE TESCO HEAD OFFICE OVER FAILURE OF COMPANY TO HEED SAFETY WARNINGS AT ITS SUPPLIERS SITE FEATURED IN TONIGHT’S BBC WHISTLEBLOWER PROGRAMME |
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Planning White Paper: Bad news for the environment, communities and democracy |
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Friends of the Earth, 21st May 2007 Today’s Planning White Paper will fast-track massive and damaging new developments, increase UK carbon dioxide emissions, and reduce the right of local people to object to schemes that threaten their communities, Friends of the Earth warned today. |
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Friends of the Earth, 29 April 2007 Supermarket planning rules must not be weakened, says new report. Supermarkets are using their power and resources to manipulate the planning system in order to build or expand their stores, a new report by Friends of the Earth reveals today. |
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Tescopoly: high price paid for Tesco profits here and overseas |
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The Tescopoly Alliance, 17th April 2007 As Tesco once again announce impressive sales growth, with UK sales growing by 9% and pre-tax profits above £2.5 billion, it is becoming increasingly clear that Tesco's relentless expansion comes at the expense of real choice, farmers' livelihoods and independent shops. ...Read more... |
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SUPERMARKETS: TV CHEF CALLS FOR SHAKE-UP OF 'BIG FOUR' |
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ActionAid, Friends of the Earth, Tescopoly and War on Want, February 28th 2007Supermarkets' ever increasing power has devastating implications for people and the environment around the world and should be curbed according to TV chef Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall. In a speech to be given tonight (Wednesday) Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and other speakers will call on the government to take action to stop the environmental and social damage caused by the UK's biggest supermarket chains. ...Read more... |
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TOWN CENTRES UNDER THREAT FROM PLANNING SHAKE UP |
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Friends of the Earth, February 7th 2007 A new survey of local authority planning officers, published today, raises fears that proposals to change the planning system may result in a new wave of out-of-town developments that damage town centres and increase car-use. Friends of the Earth will discuss the findings of its new survey at a meeting with MPs this lunchtime (Wednesday). Read more... |
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Back to square one on tackling supermarket dominance? |
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nef (the new economics foundation), January 23rd 2007 As the Competition Commission released its "Emerging Thinking" as part of its inquiry into the UK's biggest supermarkets, nef (the new economics foundation) said that the Commission must address the full range of consumers' concerns. Read more... |
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ACTION NEEDED TO CURB SUPERMARKET POWER |
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Friends of the Earth, January 23rd 2007 Today's acknowledgement by the Competition Commission that the trading practices of the biggest supermarkets may be leading to the loss of farmers and small shops, has been welcomed by Friends of the Earth. Read more... |
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Grocery Announcement: “One Step Closer to Fairer Grocery Market” |
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The Association of Convenience Stores, January 23rd 2007
The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS), the campaigning voice of over 32,000 local shops, has welcomed the “Emerging Thinking” report issued today by the Competition Commission (CC). The report, which sets out the current thinking of the Commissioners after the first wave of evidence gathering, has made it clear that important competition issues have been identified and require further investigation. Read more... |
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Grocery Inquiry goes local |
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The Competition Commission, January 23rd 2007 The Competition Commission (CC) is to focus its attention on local markets across the UK as the next stage in its investigation into the market for the supply of groceries. In its emerging thinking document, available at www.competition-commission.org.uk, the CC summarizes the evidence gathered so far in areas such as the supply chain, planning and land banks and outlines its next steps in the inquiry. The document is accompanied by eight working papers and a survey of suppliers. Read more... |
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FUW LEADER URGES COUNCILS TO DO MORE TO CUT FOOD MILES |
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Farmers Union of Wales, January 1st 2007 Welsh councils are being urged by Farmers’ Union of Wales president Gareth Vaughan to do more to help shoppers buy local products and cut down on food miles in the effort to combat global warming. In his New Year’s message, Mr Vaughan said: "I feel that councils are too ready to bend over backwards to help large supermarkets set up shop on the edge of their main towns with big car parks and wide roadways to accommodate huge lorries delivering goods from all parts of the world. Read more... |
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War on Want, December 8th 2006 ‘5p an hour women shame UK stores’ Kumars star Meera Syal backs regulation call over Primark, Tesco and Asda
Workers in Bangladesh are regularly working 80 hours a week for just 5p an hour, in potential death trap factories, to produce cheap clothes for British consumers of Primark, Tesco and Asda’s ‘George’ range. The charity War on Want today issued these findings in a new report, Fashion Victims, based on research among employees at six Bangladeshi factories in the capital Dhaka which employ over 5,000 workers, mainly women, making clothes for the three bargain retailers. Meera Syal, star of the television series The Kumars at No 42, is supporting moves for regulation to bring these companies to account. |
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COMPETITION COMMISSION URGED TO ACT ON NEW EVIDENCE FROM FARMERS |
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Friends of the Earth, December 8th 2006 Friends of the Earth is calling on the Competition Commission to put much stricter rules in place to govern the way supermarkets deal with their suppliers, following new evidence from farmers [1]. The environmental group also wants to see an independent regulator to enforce the new rules. In a survey, more than one third of farmers responding told Friends of the Earth that the prices paid by supermarkets barely covered their costs. |
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Barker Planning Review will undermine local democracy warns Friends of the Earth |
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Friends of the Earth, December 4th 2006 The Barker Review on English land use planning will have a devastating impact on the environment and local democracy, Friends of the Earth warned today (Monday 4 December). ...Read more... |
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Companies Act - a step forward |
Corporate Responsibility (CORE) Coalition, November 10th 2006
The Corporate Responsibility (CORE) Coalition and the Trade Justice Movement have welcomed the Companies Act, given royal assent this week, as a step forward towards greater corporate responsibility, but warn the new legislation has not gone far enough to ensure that British business will work for people and planet as well as profit. In response to massive public pressure, the Companies Act requires listed companies to report on their environmental and social impacts and on employee and supplier issues. In addition, company directors will have a clear duty, not only to maximise profit, but also to consider the impacts of their business on people and the environment.
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COUNTDOWN: JOIN THE GREAT SUPERMARKET DEBATE |
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Breaking the Armlock Alliance, 25th October 2006 An alliance of farmers, environmentalists and public interest groups is urging local shopkeepers, farmers and consumers to have their say in the great supermarket debate. People have just two months to submit their views to the Competition Commission which is currently investigating the dominance of the big supermarkets in the grocery market.
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Industry Urged To Speak Up Over Supermarkets |
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NFU Scotland, 24th October 2006
NFU Scotland has issued a plea to farmers and food and drink
processors to submit evidence to the Competition Commission’s inquiry
into the major supermarkets, stressing that it is not too late to speak
up.
The inquiry is investigating the behaviour of the major supermarkets
and its effect on consumers and the future of the food supply chain.
However, the fear amongst supermarket suppliers of complaining makes
hard and direct evidence difficult to come by. There is a widespread
belief amongst suppliers that they will lose business if they air their
concerns.
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Green bag claims cover for Tesco's waste mountain |
Friends of the Earth, 4th August 2006
Commenting
today on Tesco's initiative to reduce the use of plastic bags in its
stores, Friends of the Earth's Supermarket Campaigner Sandra Bell said:
"This is typical of the greenwash that Tesco has been churning out over recent months. Even if it meets its target to reduce the number of bags being used, Tesco will still be handing out three billion plastic bags a year. And this is just a drop in the ocean compared to the mountains of packaging waste teh chain creates."
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Shareholders warned about the true cost of Tesco's profits |
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Tescopoly Alliance, 7 July 2006 Shareholders attending Tesco's AGM on 7 July will be warned by the Tescopoly Alliance that Tesco's massive market power is having serious consequences for suppliers, farmers, overseas workers, local shops and the environment. Tescopoly is calling for Company law reform which would make the supermarket giant accept responsibility for its social and environmental impacts. Read more... |
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Tesco urged to pull out of Norfolk town |
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Friends of the Earth, July 6, 2006 Tesco must pull out of its 10-year battle to get planning permission for a new store in the Norfolk town of Sheringham if it truly wants to be considered as a good neighbour, Friends of the Earth said in a new report published today. Read more |
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Tesco pipped by farm shop in value survey |
Farmers' Weekly, 9th June 2006
A trip to your local farm shop need not leave you out of pocket and
could even save you money, according to exclusive research by Farmers Weekly.
For a list of 15 common or seasonal products from broccoli to pork
sausages, one farm shop came in £2.11 less than Tesco and all of those
surveyed were cheaper than Sainsbury’s.
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UK love/hate relationship with Tesco |
‘Lessons in Fairness’ from The Co-op and Marks & Spencer
National Consumer Council, 7th June 2006
As the Competition Commission today sifts through the first evidence
submitted to its enquiry into the UK grocery trade, new research from
the international institute AccountAbility and the National Consumer
Council shows that the country has a stark love/hate relationship with
the leading retailer Tesco.
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Markets create twice as many jobs as supermarkets and food is half the price |
New Economics Foundation, 22nd May 2006
New research shows street markets offer better choice on fresh fruit and vegetables than supermarkets at half the price, generate substantial benefits for the local economy and create twice as many jobs per square metre of retail than supermarkets.
Research by nef (the new economics foundation) for the Friends of Queens Market - the East London market featured in the documentary Wal-Mart, the high cost of a low price - presents a microcosm of the dangers of basing regeneration policy on supermarket expansion, from the real employment impact of supermarkets to the threat to consumer choice.
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Supermarkets inquiry campaign hots up |
ActionAid, May 11th 2006
ActionAid today vowed to step up its campaign for a wide-ranging
inquiry on British supermarkets' exploitation of small producers and
suppliers in poor countries after the agency won a partial victory
through the decision by the Office of Fair Trading to investigate the
£95bn-a-year supermarket industry, including the big chains Tesco,
Asda, Sainsbury's and Morrisons.
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OFT refers supermarkets to Competition Commission |
But focus on cheap food is misguided
Friends of the Earth, 9th May 2006
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT)'s decision to refer the Grocery Market to the Competition Commission for a new market investigation is welcome, but is misguided in its focus on low prices, Friends of the Earth said today.
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OFT to refer grocery market to Competition Commission |
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Office of Fair Trading, 9th May 2006
The OFT has announced today that it will refer the supply of
groceries by retailers in the UK to the Competition Commission (CC) for
a market investigation.
Download The grocery market - The OFT's reasons for making a reference to the Competition Commission (pdf 520 kb).
This decision comes after a period of public consultation, which
follows the OFT's earlier proposal to refer the grocery market to the
CC on 9 March 2006. During this period, over 1,200 responses were
received from businesses, consumers and other interested parties, the
majority of whom supported the OFT's decision. ...Read more...
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Keep it local and save our small shops |
New "Shop Local First" campaign launched
Friends of the Earth, 28th April 2006
A new campaign urging people to use their local shops is launched today amid growing concerns that unless shopping habits change, the great British high street will disappear.
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Tesco - the new green chameleon? |
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Friends of the Earth, 25 April 2006 Friends of the Earth gave a cautious welcome to Tesco’s new environment fund, announced today, but said the supermarket giant still had a very long way to go if it was serious about greening its operations.
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We're all paying for Tesco's profits |
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Friends of the Earth, 24 April 2006 Tesco is expected to announce record profits of over £2.2 billion tomorrow (Tuesday 25 April). But Friends of the Earth warned that Tesco’s continuing success is partly based on trading practices that have serious consequences for suppliers, farmers, overseas workers, local shops and the environment [1].
Friends of the Earth Supermarkets Campaigner Sandra Bell said:
“Tesco’s booming profits come at a cost with consumers, farmers and our environment paying the price. It is time to put the breaks on the Tesco juggernaut. The Government and competition authorities must recognise the value of small shops to local communities and create an environment that allows retail choice to flourish.
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Supermarket Code: Shoppers back rules to protect British farmers |
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Friends of the Earth, March 17, 2006 New figures out today (Fri 17 March) show that four out of five adults want new rules put in place to protect farmers in their dealings with the big supermarkets, and that nearly two thirds think that British farmers are not being paid enough for the food they produce. The NOP poll released today by Friends of the Earth marks the fourth anniversary of the Supermarket Code of Practice. The Code was introduced in 2002 to ensure that supermarkets treat their suppliers fairly - but is widely believed to have failed. Read more... |
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Friends of the Earth Welcomes Small Shops Report |
Friends of the Earth, Februray 15th 2006
Friends of the Earth, February 15, 2006
Friends of the Earth warmly welcomed today's "High Street UK 2015" report from the All Party Parliamentary Group on Small Shops.
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Local campaigns unite to fight Tescopoly |
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The Tescopoly Alliance, February 15th 2006 As the
influential All Party Parliamentary Small Shops
Group release their conclusions on the future of British High streets, the
Tescopoly Alliance has launched a new resource that, for the first time links
the local campaigns resisting Tesco’s advance.
Launching
the new resource, the Tescopoly Alliance warns that there is a growing movement
of people in towns and cities across the UK, who believe that Tesco and other
big superstores threaten to destroy their communities. Increasingly, local people are joining
together to fight new supermarket developments that they believe pose a grave
threat to the health of their local economies and communities. Read more...
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Christmas profits reflect Tesco takeover |
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Friends of the Earth, January 17, 2006 Commenting on Tesco's results released today, which showed that its sales increased by 5.7 per cent over the Christmas period compared to the previous year, Friends of the Earth supermarket campaigner Robin Webster said: "Tesco's profits come at a heavy price. The superstore's dominance of the retail sector is damaging local shops, consumer choice and the environment. Tesco is taking over the high street and it is high time the Competition Commission carried out a full investigation. Planning legislation must redress the balance in favour of independent stores." Read more
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Tesco comes bottom of the class for apple sourcing |
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Friends of the Earth, November 11, 2005 A new survey released today (Friday 11th November) shows that Britain's biggest supermarket is failing British apple growers by importing the vast majority of its apples at the height of the UK apple season. The survey, carried out by Friends of the Earth, found that Tesco was the worst of the supermarkets for UK sourcing, despite proclaiming their commitment to English fruit growing Read more... |
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Supermarkets fare poorly in ethical ratings |
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Ethical Consumer, October 31, 2005 Putting local shops out of business, flying produce from all over the world and squeezing every last drop of profit out of their suppliers... supermarkets keep getting it all wrong. Read more... |
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Tesco profits just not cricket |
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Friends of the Earth, 19 September, 2005 Competition authorities must take action now to protect consumers and farmers by stopping Tesco's uncontrolled expansion, Friends of the Earth said today, as quarterly results for the supermarket giant are predicted to reveal more profits and greater market share for the company. Tesco now makes more profit in less than five minutes than the average UK farm makes in a year [1] Read more...
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ACS Calls for OFT To Act On "Creeping Acquisition" |
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ACS, 31 August, 2005 The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has called on the OFT to stand up to the continued consolidation of the grocery market. ACS Chief Executive David Rae met the OFT yesterday (30 August), and today it has been announced that Tesco are seeking to buy 30 Morrisons forecourt sites. Read more...
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OFT Decision Fails UK Businesses and Consumers |
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The Association of Convenience Stores Press Release, 3 August, 2005 The
Association of Convenience Stores (ACS), the voice of 32,000
neighbourhood shops, has reacted angrily to the OFT's failure to act on
matters related to competition in the grocery market. The conclusions
published today follow detailed and extensive evidence submitted to the
OFT by ACS and others. ACS had argued strongly for the OFT to refer the
issue to the Competition Commission for a full investigation. Read more... |
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FARMERS LEFT IN SUPERMARKETS' ARMLOCK BY OFT REPORT - BAKER |
Liberal Democrats Press Release, 3 August, 2005
The
Office of Fair Trading's report on the Supermarket Code of Practice,
published today, will leave suppliers an armlock with little hope of
escape according to the Liberal Democrats.Read more... |
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SUPERMARKET CODE OF PRACTICE CONCLUSION IS A WHITEWASH SAYS GRANT THORNTON |
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Today's
Office of Fair Trading conclusion that the Supermarket Code of Practice
'should remain unchanged but used more effectively' "papers over the
cracks of a food supply chain that is increasingly finding itself under
major financial distress caused by the market power wielded by the
major multiples", says Duncan Swift head of Grant Thornton's Food &
Agribusiness Recovery Group. "The code is toothless and vague proposals
to use it more effectively will not make it bite. The OFT seems
undecided whether to use carrot or stick in its drive improve the
code", he continued. Read more... |
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OFT FAILS TO REGULATE ON SUPERMARKET ABUSES |
Breaking the Armlock Alliance Press Release, 3 August 2005
The Breaking the Armlock Alliance [1] condemned today's Office of Fair Trading ruling on the supermarket code of conduct as "a failure to regulate". The Alliance, which includes environment, consumer and farmer organisations, has consistently called for the supermarket Code of Practice to be strengthened and an independent ombudsman set up to monitor and enforce the Code's use.Read more... |
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Supermarket takeover must be stopped, MPs told |
Friends of the Earth Press Release, 23 June 2005
Britain's
supermarkets are damaging British business, are bad for consumers and
bad for the environment, MPs will be told today (Thursday 23rd June) at
a Friends of the Earth briefing, hosted by Andrew George MP. The
warning comes on the eve of the supermarket giant Tesco's AGM and
follows record profits for the company.Read more... |
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Tesco growth must be checked |
Friends of the Earth Press Release, 12 April 2005
Tesco's
unchecked growth is putting small shops and British farmers out of
business, and reducing public choice of where to shop, Friends of the
Earth warned today. The warning comes as the supermarket giant
announced record end-of-year profits of more than £2bn and an
unprecedented share of the UK retail market .
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Tesco profits at expense of poor women farm workers |
Action Aid Press Release, 11 April 2005
On
the eve of Tesco's announcement of record profits, expected to exceed
£2 billion, ActionAid is releasing new research exposing the appalling
working conditions of thousands of women workers in South Africa who
grow fruit that ends up on Tesco's shelves. As the UN is
meeting in Geneva to discuss regulations for multinational businesses,
ActionAid is calling on the UK and other G8 governments to push for
tough laws to safeguard the rights of farm workers in poor countries.
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Tesco's Growth: Every Little Hurts |
Friends of the Earth Press Release, 11 January 2005
Tesco
is expected to announce strong performance figures tomorrow, however
Friends of the Earth is warning that its unchecked growth is leaving
the public with no where else to shop and is putting small shops and
British farmers out of business.
Read more... |
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New Planning Guidance will not stop decline of town centres |
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Friends of the Earth Press Release, 15 December 2004 Friends
of the Earth has criticised today's revised draft planning guidance on
town centres [1] for not being strong enough to halt the decline in
local shops and town centres. The group welcomes the key principles of
the guidance - to put town centres first, tackle social exclusion, and
reduce reliance on the car - but said that the devil is in the detail
of the paper, which is full of contradictions and suggests the
influence of major retailers in its drafting. Friends of the Earth
wants the government to make a much clearer statement of support for
town centres and local shops by introducing a cap on retail floorspace. |
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Call for New Investigation into Big Four Supermarkets |
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Friends of the Earth Press Release, 26 November 2004 The
Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is today (Friday 26th) being asked by a
range of groups representing, consumers, farmers, small suppliers,
small shops and environmental interests to open a new investigation of
supermarket domination of the grocery market. The application for a
full OFT Market Review into the grocery sector highlights the damaging
impacts of market concentration on small stores, on farmers and on
consumer choice. The groups will also ask the OFT not to approve any
further takeovers of convenience stores by the biggest four
supermarkets (Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury & Morrisons) whilst the market
study is being carried out. Read more... |
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Tesco profits - at whose expense? |
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Friends of the Earth, Tuesday 20th April, 2004 Tesco's
record profits, announced today [1], were made at the expense of the
livelihoods of British farmers and small shopkeepers, working
conditions in developing countries, and environmental damage, Friends
of
the Earth said today. The environmental campaign group is calling
on the Government to act to bring the retail giant under tighter
control. Read more... |
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Tesco stores cleared for London take-over |
Friends of the Earth Press Release, 5 March 2004
Friends
of the Earth has criticised today's decision by the Office of Fair
Trading not to refer Tesco's takeover of the London Adminstore chain to
the Competition Commission. The environmental organisation is calling
for a moratorium on any further mergers by the UK's largest retailer
warning that consumers will be left with little choice of where to shop
if its aggressive takeover plan is not stopped.
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Government must protect UK town centres. |
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Friends of the Earth Press Release, 5 February 2004 A
survey of local authorities released today by Friends of the Earth
today (Thurs 5) reveals that supermarkets and other big retailers are
building massive store extensions without planning permission, and that
local authorities believe they will face difficulties promoting
sustainable town centres without the power to control out of town
expansions via mezzanine floors. Read more... |
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Supermarket news 
