The Food and Grocery Code of Conduct is a voluntary code prescribed under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010. Once a retailer or wholesaler signs up, they must follow the rules of the code.
The Food and Grocery Code of Conduct governs certain behaviour by some grocery retailers and wholesalers in their dealings with suppliers.
Suppliers doing business with a grocery retailer or wholesaler who has signed up to the code, has rights and protections under the code and under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010.
The good faith obligation applies to retailers and wholesalers who have signed up to the code. It is intended to build trust and improve standards of behaviour.
A supplier may be unable to, or prefer not to, resolve a dispute directly with a retailer or wholesaler. If this happens, the code provides ways for a supplier to raise and resolve disputes.
A grocery supply agreement is between a supplier and a retailer or wholesaler for the supply of groceries to a supermarket business.