We must raise awareness in participants within the food supply chain, as many suppliers and other participants stopped recognizing unfair practices. Months ago the food supply chain ombudsman Jože Podgoršek prevented implementation of discount for promotion of vegetables grown in Slovenia in a chain store which tried to obtain a lower price from its suppliers. He was surprised that some suppliers had not even recognized such proposal as incorrect and unfair practice. "I realized that we’ve got quite used to such unfair practices," Podgoršek said at the press conference in Ljubljana.

At this time traders are signing new contracts with suppliers for the coming year, or for next two years, and the ombudsman is attentively following their negotiations "My vision is to exclude all unfair practices from contractual relationships, thus obtaining clean contracts," he explained, and suggested that the remaining questions, e.g. discounts, should be included in price lists.

Although unfair practices are most frequent at traders, they occur within the entire food supply chain, the ombudsman warned, and mentioned the case of a kindergarten which had received the supplier's assurance that meat of Slovenian origin would be supplied, which was not the case. The ombudsman transferred the case to the Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Food Safety, which checked the supplier and found irregularities. "That's the reason I am motivating public institutes to keep records of the complaints," he said.

Promotion of fair practices can be achieved by awareness-raising. Jože Pogačnik is certain that we should start recognizing unfair actions, as we have become used to it too much.

We must raise awareness in participants within the food supply chain, as many suppliers and other participants stopped recognizing unfair practices. Months ago the food supply chain ombudsman Jože Podgoršek prevented implementation of discount for promotion of vegetables grown in Slovenia in a chain store which tried to obtain a lower price from its suppliers. He was surprised that some suppliers had not even recognized such proposal as incorrect and unfair practice. "I realized that we’ve got quite used to such unfair practices," Podgoršek said at the press conference in Ljubljana.

At this time traders are signing new contracts with suppliers for the coming year, or for next two years, and the ombudsman is attentively following their negotiations. "My vision is to exclude all unfair practices from contractual relationships, thus obtaining clean contracts," he explained, and suggested that the remaining questions, e.g. discounts, should be included in price lists.

Although unfair practices are most frequent at traders, they occur within the entire food supply chain, the ombudsman warned, and mentioned the case of a kindergarten which had received the supplier's assurance that meat of Slovenian origin would be supplied, which was not the case. The ombudsman transferred the case to the Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Food Safety, which checked the supplier and found irregularities. "That's the reason I am motivating public institutes to keep records of the complaints," he said.

G. K.
Translated by G. K.