Sean Roberts, former Policy Director at the Food Ethics Council said:

“A strong Groceries Code Adjudicator will also play an important part in promoting environmental sustainability, by helping to ‘nudge’ consumers towards sustainable diets.

“If we are going to move towards more sustainable consumption, then we need to place a higher value on the natural resources that contribute to the production of our food – in other words, the environmental costs of food production need to be reflected in prices.

But this would never have happened if retailers (and consumers) were able to avoid paying their fair share of these costs by pushing all of the burden onto producers.

“Today’s announcement takes us a step closer towards creating a fairer food system.”

– Ends –

Notes to editors

1. The Food Ethics Council is a charity that works towards a food system that is fair and healthy for people and the environment. Our independent advice to business, government and civil society helps find a way through controversial issues and supports better choices in food and farming.

2. We believe that healthy and sustainable food, produced and traded fairly and humanely, should be the norm not the exception. We want to change the food system to make this a reality.

3. Our fourteen-member Council is the foremost group of experts and opinion formers on ethical issues in food and farming. They work voluntarily and in a personal capacity. Their backgrounds include farming, food businesses and academia.