The new regulator for the agri-food supply chain, An Rialálaí Agraibhia (Agri-Food Regulator), has confirmed that it has commenced legal proceedings against a business in the agri-food supply chain.
In one of the first actions of this type since the regulator was established, the proceedings relate to an alleged breach of the Unfair Trading Practices (UTP) Regulation.
An Rialálaí Agraibhia has not disclosed the name of the business.
Monitoring and enforcing the UTP Regulation is one of the key tasks of the regulator.
The regulator is encouraging any supplier of agri-food products who feels that they may have been, or are, subject to an unfair trading practice to make contact.
An Rialálaí Agraibhia has also, for the first time, carried out a number of on-site compliance inspections, using powers given to it under the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Act 2023.
The aim of the these inspections, the regulator said, is to ensure that the policies and procedures; systems; internal control mechanisms; arrangements; and mechanisms to address failings, relating to unfair trading practices in a business, are in compliance with the 2023 act and other key regulations.
The regulator said that these inspections, as well as targeted risk-based inspections, will continue to be undertaken, as outlined in its recently-published strategy statement.
The regulator also provided an update on its efforts to publish analysis of information about price and market data in relation to the egg sector supply chain.
The regulator said that it had started engagement with relevant businesses early this year, with a specific data request issuing on April 30, following a consultation period which was initiated on March 12.
Commenting on An Rialálaí Agraibhia’s work on the egg sector, the regulator’s CEO Niamh Lenehan said: “I wish to thank those businesses who have actively engaged thus far and have led the way in providing data to the regulator for the purpose of improving transparency.
However, Lenehan said that some retailers are yet to provide the requested data.
“While I acknowledge and welcome the engagement that has occurred from all businesses from whom the regulator requested data, unfortunately, not all retail businesses have provided the data requested.
“As a result, it has not been possible for the regulator to produce the type of report that was envisaged at the beginning of this process,” she added.
An Rialálaí Agraibhia has instead published a report on the egg sector using only publicly available data.
Lenehan said: “The regulator will continue to engage with the businesses involved in the egg sector in the coming weeks and, particularly, with those which have not provided the requested data, with a view to supplementing the report being published as soon as possible.
“The board [of An Rialálaí Agraibhia] will be updated on this work at its next meeting in early September. Depending on progress, the board will consider next steps,” she added.