One of the biggest talking points surrounding the potato corruption case (page 4) is whether this was a one-off or symptomatic of darker goings on in the industry.

Was this case reflective of the unbearable pressure put upon suppliers by retailers or simply three opportunistic individuals eyeing the chance to make a quick buck?

There’s no question that the pressure on suppliers has never been greater, and everyone knows that all kinds of strong-arm tactics are used by supermarkets to get themselves the best possible deal. But that doesn’t mean there’s widespread corruption taking place.

There have been lots of people quick to gossip that this sort of thing is commonplace, if perhaps on a smaller scale, but I’m not so sure. Call me naive, but I like to think this was the work of three rogue operators who dreamt up an elaborate scheme to make a fortune, and does not in fact indicate that the industry is rife with crooks.

One thing is for sure: Greenvale will be glad to get some closure on a case which has dragged on for a considerable time. These are not really the sort of headlines that do anybody any favours.