Empowering suppliers with clarity, confidence and compliance.
“71% of suppliers don’t fully understand GSCOP – until it’s too late.”
GSCOP (Groceries Supply Code of Practice) is your legal shield — designed to protect suppliers working with the UK’s top 14 grocery retailers. It’s the referee in your relationship with those big retailers — a legally enforceable code that prevents power plays, penalties, and backdated fees. If you sell into supermarkets, this legislation levels the playing field and empowers your negotiation. It applies to any retailer with a turnover of £1B+, protecting all suppliers globally.
Because ignorance is expensive. Retailers are trained on the Code every year — they know the rules and exactly how far they can push. Suppliers, however, are not required to be trained. That means many negotiate blind.
Understanding the Code gives you the confidence to spot bad practice, push back when needed, and stay protected in commercial negotiations — including delistings. It helps you avoid panic emails, sudden deductions, and bad-faith negotiations.
If you're in a commercial, operational, or finance role dealing with supermarkets — whether you're an Account Manager, in Logistics, or Procurement — understanding GSCOP isn’t optional.
You're on the front line of retailer relationships. Knowing your rights can mean the difference between accepting unfair demands and pushing back with confidence.
For example:
A supplier’s logistics team was being charged unexpected fees for missed delivery windows — until they flagged the issue under GSCOP, got the charges reversed, and prevented it happening again.
This course gives suppliers the exact same training supermarket buyers receive, so you're not just playing catch-up, you're on equal ground.
Retailers are required to train their staff every 12 months — they know what they can and can’t do. But most suppliers aren’t trained, and don’t realise when the Code is being broken.
Training gives you leverage, legal clarity, and negotiation confidence.
Ideal for groups under 10 — to encourage full participation.
Stuart Sadler spent nearly 30 years at Tesco, where he led commercial, operational, and supply chain strategy across the UK and internationally. Since 2014, he has trained over 100 suppliers of all sizes, bringing real-world examples and deep industry insight to help businesses confidently protect and grow through GSCOP.
We also offer additional training on Competition Law, covering anti-bribery and corruption in supplier-retailer relationships. — a 90-minute session covering everything you need to stay compliant.
Need follow-up help? We offer 15-minute coffee calls calls, ongoing tailored consultancy, with our annual or membership packages for continued support and updates.
Need expert comment on GSCOP? If you're looking for a spokesperson or industry expert to speak on the Groceries Supply Code of Practice, I’m happy to help.
Please get in touch through the contact page with details of your request.
Suppliers often come back saying it's changed the way they work. With the right knowledge, you can expect
It’s not just about knowing the rules — it’s about knowing how and when to use them.
“It’s like knowing the rules to Monopoly – only it’s your job, your team, and your budget on the line.”
Tailored training, transparent pricing.
Every GSCOP session is built around your business — no cookie-cutter content here. Pricing depends on your team size, delivery method (online, in-person, or hybrid), and your goals.
We also offer smaller sessions, specialist modules, and options for larger groups (which may need to be split across two sessions).
No two suppliers are the same — so your training shouldn’t be either. Sessions are customised to your category, experience level, and business type — whether you're a branded, private label, or fresh supplier.
Remember: all major UK supermarkets are required to train their buying teams every year. Suppliers deserve the same level of preparation.
Need a fast answer to a GSCOP question? I offer quick, affordable phone consultations for GSCOP queries — perfect if you just need clarity on a specific situation or rule. Think of it as the cost of a couple of coffees.
Just get in touch via the contact form and mention you'd like a call, not full training.