King told Retail Week at The WellBeing Debate last week: “I do not buy the argument that it [the code of practice] needs more teeth. We think it is an excellent mechanism and we do not believe it is an ineffective tool.
“For Sainsbury’s, the supermarket code of practice has been a good yardstick. It is something that we live by and, as a mechanism, it is something that helps us to resolve issues.”
The relationship between supermarkets and suppliers is a critical area of the Competition Commission inquiry.
A Competition Commission spokesman said some suppliers have submitted documents voicing their disapproval of the code, saying they have no confidence in it to resolve disputes.
However, King said: “There is a lack of evidence that suppliers are badly treated.”
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