Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) Christine Tacon has announced that she is closing another of her 'top five' issues.
This comes after a full analysis of the way retailers handle and charge for consumer complaints.
This latest closure on one of the five issues Tacon likes to tackle at any one time comes on the back of the GCA closing another issue - problems with the 'drop and drive' model, where suppliers experience problems where there is a disparity between what they say they have delivered and invoiced, and what the large retailer says has been received - three months ago.
Tacon said: 'Many suppliers have told me about their concerns that they were being overcharged by retailers for handling consumer complaints about products supplied.
'I raised this issue with retailers and they have all had a good look at their processes and charges. I am aware that some have changed their approaches as a result, with one more change to be implemented in August this year.
'I found that the charges range from £0 to £45. In some retailers, up to 97 per cent of complaints are resolved in-store, which is a cheaper way of handling matters. Of those retailers applying charges, some only do so in a small proportion of cases, but all retailers charge for serious failings such as product safety issues.'
Tacon has now proposed a best practice model for future complaints handling by retailers. On this, she noted: 'I am pleased to say the retailers have supported my proposal. The key elements are that retailers should ensure that suppliers understand the basis of any consumer complaint charges applied; provide information to suppliers about what was wrong with the product within five days to allow the suppliers to take swift action; and aim to resolve more complaints in-store to keep costs down.'
While the GCA has now declared this issue closed, along with the aforementioned drop and drive model, and forensic auditing, Tacon said that if she receives further evidence on these issues, it may lead to an investigation.
She now has four live issues that she is working on - delays in payment, forecasting/service levels, request for lump sums, and packaging and design charges - and is on the hunt for a new fifth issue.
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-Suppliers 'suffering fewer problems' with supermarkets
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