Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

263. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps he is taking to ensure that supermarkets and retail multiples do not repeat below-cost selling of vegetables in the run up to the Christmas period as occurred previously; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38260/16]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The legislative powers to tackle the matters mentioned are under the auspices of my colleague, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, together with the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission.  The Commission, which was established on 31 October 2014, is the statutory body responsible for enforcing consumer protection and competition law in Ireland.    

During 2014, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation introduced the Competition and Consumer Protection Act (No 29 of 2014). The Act provides for the making of provisions for regulating certain practices in the grocery goods sector.

The Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation has also implemented the Grocery Goods Regulations under this legislation, in February 2016, applying to sales and supply contracts for groceries, including vegetables, renewed or entered into by producers and growers with their retailers and supermarket multiples, with effect from 30 April 2016. These new provisions will, I hope, guide the supermarkets in how they deal with our producers in a fair and reasonable manner.

The price levels struck by growers with retail outlets are entirely a commercial matter. Whilst it is not my role to set supermarket prices for agricultural products or to be involved in price negotiations between growers and retailers, I very much encourage greater co-operation and discussion between all parties in order to ensure the viability of the largest number of Irish vegetable growers possible.