Stop picking on independent grocers – go after insurance companies and banks: RGDATA

Independent grocers are not involved in “price gouging: politicians should focus on insurance and energy companies and banks, says RGDATA

RGDATA members are not involved in price gouging – no independent grocer will remain in business unless they continue to offer their customers the best value and service each day every day. They compete with each other and with the large multiples, including large international grocery chains.

‘To support a low price environment the Government must tackle the price gouging from insurance companies, energy companies and banks who are all announcing record profits and record charges on customers,’ the trade body has said. ‘These sectors have consistently over charged consumers who have limited competitive choice and are subject to ineffective regulatory structures.’

‘To keep food prices low we need action from government to bring insurance costs down – shops are still paying the highest prices in Europe for liability insurance. We need action to tackle energy costs that are boosting the energy companies profits to record levels. We need action on banking costs to curb profiteering by banks.

‘The Government also has a direct role to play in maintaining the competitiveness of independent grocery stores by stopping adding to operating costs of shops by a host of new government measures which directly add to the costs of what is already a low margin and high cost environment.

RGDATA is of the view that ‘retailers are really concerned at the impact of a host of new government employment, sustainability and other measures that will add to their costs and which have had no proper assessment of the economic and societal impact or if they will actually have any positive impact at all.

‘The Government also needs to ensure that the new sustainability/circular economy measures – the single use cup levy, the deposit and return scheme are cost neutral for small shops as promised.’