Tesco now controls over 30% of the grocery market in the UK. In 2011, the supermarket chain announced profits of £3.4bn. Growing evidence indicates that Tesco's success is partly based on trading practices that are having serious consequences for suppliers, farmers and workers worldwide, local shops and the environment. Read our demands

Local Campaigns - there are 450 local campaigns against supermarkets listed on this site. View campaigns in your region here.

NEWS ROUND-UP

Pressure mounts for a new supermarket watchdog
Tescopoly is calling on Government to urgently implement a Groceries Code Adjudicator to enforce the Groceries Supply Code of Practice (GSCOP). It's four years since the Competition Commission said the UK needed a supermarket watchdog. With the revised supplier code of practice now in place, it makes no sense if there is no adjudicator to enforce it. With cross-party commitment and a longer than expected parliamentary session, there should be no further reason for delay.
Please take this quick on-line action to ask your MP to write to the Minister responsible, The Rt Hon Dr Vince Cable MP, calling for:
-A Bill introducing a supermarket watchdog to be included in the next Queen's Speech, or time found for it before then.
-Powers for the watchdog to fine supermarkets and launch investigations based on credible information from third parties (e.g. trade associations, unions and charities).

Fears for high streets as the Big Four supermarkets expand at record rate
New figures on supermarket expansion have been collated by commercial property experts CBRE after an exhaustive study of planning applications lodged with UK councils. Their study shows that 3.88million square feet of new supermarkets are currently under construction. There is planning permission for another 21.45million square feet and proposals for a further 19.08million.
The total of 44.41million square feet of new supermarkets in the pipeline is up by 54 per cent on the amount planned five years ago and a 25 per cent expansion on the current 171million square feet. Please see an article in the Daily Mail, 23rd December 2011.

Mary Portas unveils report into High Street revival
Key recommendations from the report by Mary Portas on High Streets, published on 13th December, include  -" Make explicit a presumption in favour of town centre development in the wording of the National Planning Policy Framework" and  "Introduce Secretary of State "exceptional sign off" for all new out-of-town developments and require all large new developments to have an "affordable shops" quota". To read the full list of recommendations please click here and to read the press release and report click here.

Indian Government suspends opening up to Tesco and Wal-Mart
The Government of India has announced the suspension of the cabinet decision to allow Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in multibrand retail following widespread protests. The announcement led to breaking the logjam of the Indian parliament which could not do any business since the de-regulation was decided on 24th November which would have allowed overseas companies to own as much as 51 percent of retailers selling more than one brand.