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FOI release

Request for information on the poultry sector and the Groceries Code

Published 25 August 2026

© Crown copyright 2026

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/foi-request-poultry-sector-and-the-groceries-code/request-for-information-on-the-poultry-sector-and-the-groceries-code

7th Floor, The Cabot
25 Cabot Square
London E14 4QZ
T: +44 (0)20 7215 6537
E: Enquiries@GroceriesCode.gov.uk
www.gov.uk/gca

Sent by email

17 August 2026

Freedom of Information Act: Request for information on Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) activities

Thank you for your email of 19 July 2026 regarding the poultry sector and the GCA. You asked for:

  1. The number of enquiries, complaints or representations received by the GCA from poultry farmers, poultry sector growers, or representatives acting on their behalf, in each financial year from 2019-20 to 2024-25 inclusive.

  2. Any correspondence received by the GCA from poultry farmers, poultry sector growers, agricultural organisations or their representatives raising concerns about pricing practices, contract terms, payment practices or the treatment of suppliers in the poultry sector, in the period 1 January 2019 to the date of this request.

  3. Any correspondence between the GCA and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), or ministers in either department, concerning whether poultry sector contract farming relationships should fall within the scope of the Groceries Supply Code of Practice (the Code) or the fair dealing regulations introduced under the Agriculture Act 2020, in the period 1 January 2019 to the date of this request.

  4. Any internal assessments, briefings or legal advice held by the GCA concerning whether poultry integrator-farmer contracts fall within or outside the GCA’s statutory remit, in the period 1 January 2019 to the date of this request.

General right of access to information held by public authorities

Under section 1(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (“the FOIA”), anyone making a request for information to the GCA, as a public authority, is entitled to be informed in writing whether it holds that information, and if so, to be supplied with it.

The GCA holds some of the information you have requested. Adopting your numbering for ease of reference, I have responded to your requests below.

Questions 1 and 2

The GCA holds information falling within the scope of questions 1 and 2.

Section 44(1)(a) of the FOIA provides that information is exempt if disclosure by the public authority holding it is prohibited by or under any enactment.

Section 18(2) of the Groceries Code Adjudicator Act 2013 (“the GCA Act”) prevents the GCA from making an unauthorised disclosure of information that the Adjudicator thinks might cause someone to think that a particular person has complained about a designated retailer (Retailer) failing to comply with the Code.

The Adjudicator considers that releasing the information requested, including information concerning the existence, number, nature or content of enquiries, complaints, representations or correspondence relating to the poultry sector, might cause someone to think that a particular person has complained about a large retailer failing to comply with the Code.

None of the exceptions set out in section 18 of the GCA Act apply.

As disclosure of the information requested is prohibited by section 18(2) of the GCA Act, section 44(1)(a) of the FOIA applies and the information requested is exempt from disclosure. This is an absolute exemption and there is therefore no requirement to consider the public interest.

Question 3

The GCA does not hold any information relating to correspondence with Defra, DBT, or ministers in either department concerning whether poultry sector contract farming relationships should fall within the scope of the Code or the fair dealing regulations introduced under the Agriculture Act 2020.

Question 4

The GCA holds no internal assessments, briefings or legal advice concerning whether poultry integrator-farmer contracts fall within or outside the GCA’s statutory remit.

The GCA has, however, previously discussed the use of intermediaries and indirect suppliers in grocery supply chains with Retailers. The discussions were not specific to poultry integrator-farmer contracts. Information regarding those discussions is publicly available in the March 2024 and July 2024 records of the GCA’s progress meetings with Code Compliance Officers, available at the links below:

March 2024: Record of the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) progress meetings with Code Compliance Officers (CCOs) - GOV.UK

July 2024: Record of the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) progress meetings with Code Compliance Officers (CCOs) - GOV.UK

Appeals Procedure

If you wish to complain about the way in which your request for information has been handled, you may seek an internal review by writing, setting out the reasons you feel your request has not been dealt with effectively, to:

The FOI Review Co-ordinator
Groceries Code Adjudicator
7th Floor, 25 Cabot Square
London
E14 4QZ

Alternatively, you can email: enquiries@groceriescode.gov.uk.

We will aim to deal with your internal review request within 20 working days of receipt or, if that is not possible, advise you of a date when we expect to complete the review.

If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of the internal review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner’s Office. You can do this on the Information Commissioner’s Office website.

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