Farmers and food producers are set to see a shift in how the UK’s grocery supply chain is overseen, as responsibility for the Groceries Code Adjudicator transfers from the Department for Business and Trade to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from 1 July 2026.
The move is designed to better align regulation of supermarket-supplier relationships with wider agricultural policy, placing the watchdog closer to the centre of decision-making on farming and food production.
The change follows a key recommendation from the Farming Profitability Review led by Minette Batters, which called for a more streamlined and coordinated approach to overseeing the grocery supply chain. It is also expected to strengthen links with the Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator, helping create a more joined-up system for tackling unfair practices.
Farming Minister Angela Eagle said the move would help rebalance the supply chain in favour of producers. “We are backing our farmers by creating a level playing right across the supply chain to ensure productive and profitable businesses can flourish,” she said.
She added: “Moving responsibility for the Groceries Code Adjudicator to Defra will support a more joined-up approach to fairness across the food supply chain, while fully protecting its independence and statutory role.”
The current adjudicator, Mark White, welcomed the closer link with Defra. “I am looking forward to working more closely with Defra to continue to ensure fair treatment of direct suppliers to the designated retailers,” he said.
The Groceries Code Adjudicator regulates relationships between the UK’s largest supermarket chains and their direct suppliers, enforcing the Groceries Supply Code of Practice. Its role includes encouraging compliance, monitoring retailer behaviour and taking action where breaches occur.
Despite the departmental move, the adjudicator will remain fully independent, with no changes to its statutory powers or enforcement role. The code itself will continue to be overseen by the Competition and Markets Authority.
The transfer builds on wider government action to improve fairness and transparency in agricultural supply chains, including the introduction of fair dealing rules in sectors such as dairy and pig production.
Further details on how the transition will be implemented are expected ahead of the July 2026 handover.