Position: Report of the European Parliament on unfair trading practices (UTP)

Manufacturers, suppliers and traders must work together closely and trustfully, because only fair cooperation of all stakeholders along the supply chain guarantees the quality of products as well as customer satisfaction in the long term. To this end, METRO AG has actively participated in discussions at European level on the relationships between the various actors of the supply chain.

A study conducted on behalf of the European Commission in 2015 examined the developments in the Member States concerning unfair trade practices, as well as the experiences of participants and non-participants of the Supply Chain Initiative. The study concludes that there is currently no need to regulate unfair trade practices at EU level. In contrast, the report of the European Parliament on UTP partially blames the trade industry for the current problems faced by farmers, calls for Europe-wide regulations and is highly critical of trademarks, among other things.

METRO AG is committed to transparent and trusting relationships with its business partners and is convinced that a legal regulation of trade practices in the food supply chain at EU level is not the right solution to tackle potential problems between the various actors.