The voluntary grocery code of conduct for grocers, suppliers, wholesalers and manufacturers is set to fully roll out on Jan. 1.
The grocery code is intended to promote fair dealings between grocers and their suppliers, including the application of penalties and fees. It was set up in an effort to bring more transparency, fairness and predictability to the industry.
The code includes a dispute resolution mechanism, which governs how complaints are addressed by the office and what the consequences are for violations of the code.
Industry advocates began working on the code after some of the large grocers introduced contentious new supplier fees in 2020 to help pay for infrastructure investments.
Though it lays out expectations for how companies do business with one another, the code of conduct is not intended to address retail prices.
It does not regulate pricing, control shelf placement, or limit companies' ability to negotiate commercial terms.