Curb supermarkets’ power, say farmers

FARMERS are calling on the next government to stop the big supermarket chains from keeping prices to producers unfairly low.

The Irish Farmers Association (IFA) is seeking pledges from election candidates that they will introduce a statutory code of practice and an independent supermarket ombudsman to stamp out what it claims are abuses by the big name supermarkets of their dominant position.

The organisation is also calling on candidates to commit to fighting any attempt to lift the cap on the size of retail stores as they say the bigger the outlet, the greater the scope for manipulating prices.