NINE years after being first released, the Food and Grocery Code of Conduct for Australian retailers, wholesalers and suppliers (the Code) has received a significant update following a review, with the major change making the Code “mandatory for all supermarkets with an annual Australian revenue of greater than $5 billion”.

In a joint media release on Monday from Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry minister, Murray Watt and Competition, Charities and Treasury assistant minister, Dr Andrew Leigh, the Federal Government said the changes would strengthen the code “accepting all recommendations of a recent independent review into the Code as part of a wide-ranging cost of living crackdown on anti-competitive behaviour in the food and grocery sector”.