Mr. Fergal O'Leary:

The situation in the UK is very different and not least because of Brexit. Last year, they made a call for evidence on a review of the grocery adjudicator generally. Similar issues are discussed and commented on here. The UK, at the moment, is of the view that it should be for national governments to find out explicitly what the national problems are and then legislate at a national level. That is their view. Obviously that is informed by Brexit.

In terms of the game we are playing at the moment with the grocery goods regulations, we think we are holding our own and are doing okay. To use the Chairman's anecdote, there is time left in the match. In terms of what is being proposed by the EU with this directive, that is a different game. It is something very specific and extensive.

From our point of view we believe there would be a fundamental clash with what we have already been asked to do right across the economy in those 100 or so markets that we look at every year. Questions such as those are obviously for this committee and for these Houses. It is our view that we are doing okay with what we have at the moment and, in fact, we are on an upward trajectory. In terms of what is proposed, that is fundamentally different.