The Competition Commission's investigation of the UK grocery market will require "help from everyone and anyone who wants to come to talk to us", the inquiry chairman Peter Freeman said this week.
Speaking to The Grocer about the Commission's publication of its 'statement of issues', designed to invite submissions, Freeman said fears over confidentiality should be put aside.
"No one has ever been identified because of the Commission in inquiries in the past. We can't take the analysis forward without good material and I would encourage everyone to get in touch and submit evidence."
The statement highlighted three areas: supply chain issues; retail competition; and planning, land use and other barriers to entry.
The inquiry will look at issues including retailer behaviour towards suppliers, the multiples' entries into convenience, the possible build up of land banks and evidence of price flexing and below-cost pricing.
James Lowman, director of public affairs at the ACS, said he was concerned the evidence-gathering process would become complicated but welcomed the statement. "Our views on the important issues have been pretty well reflected in it."
However, some categories do not fall into the Commission's definition of "grocery", such as petrol and newspapers. But Freeman warned that sectors not currently included could still be investigated. "At this stage we're interested in people's reactions to the issues we've highlighted. We really do have an open mind."
Following the publication of the document on Thursday, Citigroup analysts said "little new" would emerge from this inquiry. Changes in the planning process were the most likely outcome.
Evidence gathering will begin immediately and meetings with interested parties will be held from this month until September.
An "emerging thinking" document will then be published, detailing the findings, with more substantial findings announced in 12 months.
Freeman hoped the whole inquiry would be wrapped up sooner than the two years previously predicted.
Speaking to The Grocer about the Commission's publication of its 'statement of issues', designed to invite submissions, Freeman said fears over confidentiality should be put aside.
"No one has ever been identified because of the Commission in inquiries in the past. We can't take the analysis forward without good material and I would encourage everyone to get in touch and submit evidence."
The statement highlighted three areas: supply chain issues; retail competition; and planning, land use and other barriers to entry.
The inquiry will look at issues including retailer behaviour towards suppliers, the multiples' entries into convenience, the possible build up of land banks and evidence of price flexing and below-cost pricing.
James Lowman, director of public affairs at the ACS, said he was concerned the evidence-gathering process would become complicated but welcomed the statement. "Our views on the important issues have been pretty well reflected in it."
However, some categories do not fall into the Commission's definition of "grocery", such as petrol and newspapers. But Freeman warned that sectors not currently included could still be investigated. "At this stage we're interested in people's reactions to the issues we've highlighted. We really do have an open mind."
Following the publication of the document on Thursday, Citigroup analysts said "little new" would emerge from this inquiry. Changes in the planning process were the most likely outcome.
Evidence gathering will begin immediately and meetings with interested parties will be held from this month until September.
An "emerging thinking" document will then be published, detailing the findings, with more substantial findings announced in 12 months.
Freeman hoped the whole inquiry would be wrapped up sooner than the two years previously predicted.
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