The Bottom Line

Are supermarkets profiteering?

06.08.2023 - By BBC Radio 4Play

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Grocery stores are under pressure – with food inflation still near record highs, some have accused them of profiteering and the UK’s competition watchdog is investigating. So what’s the evidence, if any, that supermarkets and other smaller stores are taking advantage of consumers, and what is a reasonable profit margin in this industry anyway? Food suppliers, large and small, also have a role to play here – we look at how their margins impact prices. And, with government ministers vowing to curb food price inflation, we ask whether a cap on the cost of some products would help. Evan Davis is joined by guests from across the industry to try to get a clearer picture of the UK’s food supply chain, and ask how fair it is on customers. Produced in Partnership with The Open University. GUESTS Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones, founder of The Black Farmer

Teresa Wickham, retail analyst, fruit grower, and former advisor to Sainsbury’s and director at Safeway

Chris Noice, communications director, Association of Convenience Stores PRODUCTION TEAM Producer: Simon Tulett

Editor: China Collins

Sound: Graham Puddifoot and Neil Churchill

Production co-ordinator: Brenda Brown

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