Smith: Vital for markets to function well to prevent unfair practices

IT is important that markets function well and that unfair practices are prevented, Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Minister Brendan Smith said yesterday.

At a Council of Ministers meeting in Brussels, he said the Commission’s communication on a better functioning food supply chain in Europe was very timely. “It goes without saying, of course, that there must be fair play in trading conditions — including at retail level — and that action by the EU to ensure that this is the case is appropriate in the single market.”

Mr Smith said the Government is committed to implementing a national code of practice for doing business in the grocery goods sector in order to develop a fair trading relationship between retailers and suppliers.