Sir; It's easy to understand the frustration of Safeway's director of communications, Kevin Hawkins, when he attacks anonymous rumours that the multiples are making outrageous cash demands of their suppliers (The Grocer, last week, p4.) But is Hawkins really surprised the sources are anonymous? My experience shows that if a supplier reveals his name he is likely to face pressure from the offending multiple, which could mean he loses valuable business with them. I suffered a similar occurrence a few years ago, not with Safeway, incidentally, but one of the other big chains. I was brave enough to go into the head office in question and complain, only to be kept wiaitng for three hours before being told, quite bluntly, that I could "take it or leave it."I left it. And I am glad to say that I have not suffered in the same way since. But the DTI's code of practice while, from what I hear, still appearing to be a pretty wooly document, is to be welcomed. The trick now is to get it to work. Anxious supplier Croydon {{LETTERS }}

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