Meanwhile, the Co-op Group issued an official apology to its suppliers alongside Tacon’s verdict and revealed it had already taken several steps to reform its processes before the GCA probe began. The Food Code Adjudicator said the Co - op breached the Groceries Supply Code of Practice by not giving suppliers reasonable notice when re - listing products and when changing agreements without consultation . The independent regulator said the UK supermarket chain had not acted maliciously and had repaid suppliers identified as being unfairly charged . It attributed the breach to “ inadequate governance ” in ensuring adherence to the code and recommended changes at this level , promising to assist the company in implementing them via close monitoring . The Co - op apologised for its past mistakes , stating it had promised a review to continue making them in the future .
The Food Code Adjudicator said the Co - op breached the Groceries Supply Code of Practice by not giving suppliers reasonable notice when re - listing products and when changing agreements without consultation . The independent regulator said the UK supermarket chain had not acted maliciously and had repaid suppliers identified as being unfairly charged . It attributed the breach to “ inadequate governance ” in ensuring adherence to the code and recommended changes at this level , promising to assist the company in implementing them via close monitoring . The Co - op apologised for its past mistakes , stating it had promised a review to continue making them in the future .