Why are this country's cash and carry operators and delivered wholesalers so reluctant to form a single buying organisation that would have real clout with suppliers? Despite the compelling business case, nobody seems willing to champion this particular cause, which has never got off the ground due to politics and personalities. But times have changed. Executives in rival organisations have softened their line. The Group Trading Alliance is in turmoil following Makro's decision to quit ­ although it insists a replacement is in the pipeline. And Booker is dropping hints about the benefits of buying groups. All very odd. Meanwhile, of course, industry dynamics are working against the wholesale sector: independent retailers remain under pressure, cash and carry is finding growth hard to come by, and operators are scrabbling around looking for some way to replace the money they have lost by the end of tobacco forestalling. To prosper, wholesalers really need to maximise relationships with suppliers. And logic compels us to argue that the formation of a truly pan-industry buying group would be an excellent starting point. But it's no easy option and no final solution. The group would have to prove it was as good as ­ if not better than ­ the multiples in delivering volume and discipline. Easier said than done. Just ask the co-operative movement ­ another deeply unfashionable part of the grocery scene ­ which has spent years building up a highly disciplined buying group. That group, the CRTG, is delivering the goods. But even today it has trouble persuading suppliers to come on board. Nevertheless, the co-ops are persevering. And so should wholesalers. Aside from the business logic of having a single buying group, there's another, almost emotional, plus point. Too many suppliers find the current buying arrangements in the independent sector confusing and overly complex. Anything that helps simplify their lives has got to be good news. And, who knows, it may even persuade more suppliers to start taking the wholesale sector seriously. Julian Hunt, Deputy Editor {{OPINION }}