As all the major political parties gear up for the General Election in May, it has been revealed that the Conservative Party has big plans for the food and drink industry. According to Tory leaders, establishing a supermarket ombudsman is one of them.
The Conservatives attempted to push through a grocery ombudsman just recently through a Private Members Bill from party member Albert Owen, but this attempt failed and the Bill was dissolved. The party is now focusing on the General Election, with the immediate institution of an ombudsman to monitor and enforce regulations within the food industry being a top priority.
The Private Members Bill apparently failed because of a lack of support from within the industry and those in top food jobs, including the British Retail Consortium (BRC). This key organisation felt the cost of establishing an industry ombudsman would not be justified and would force shop prices to soar and consumers to suffer.
In the run-up to the General Election, however, the Conservatives are hoping for a second chance to push an ombudsman Bill through, although it is not yet clear how they will approach the matter.
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