Agri-Food Regulator publishes findings of second annual supplier survey

Decrease in UTPs experienced, but fears of retaliation continue to deter complaints

24 June 2026: An Rialálaí Agraibhia (Agri-Food Regulator) (Regulator) today released the findings of its second annual supplier survey which gathered feedback from agri-food suppliers on their experiences of trading with eight specific buyers in the retail and wholesale sectors.  

Conducted by Red C Research, the Agri-Food Regulator’s Suppliers Survey covered two main areas – compliance with the Unfair Trading (UT) Regulations and other general trading issues. 

The survey, which provided feedback on over 1,313 trading relationships (+40% on the 2025 survey), found:

• A high overall level of supplier satisfaction with how buyers conduct their business.
• High levels of compliance with the UT regulations, though 1 in 9 respondents still report being subject to an unfair trading practice (down from 1 in 7 last year).
• Cancellation of orders of perishable products with less than 30 days’ notice, late payment, and requiring the supplier to pay for loss or product deterioration were the most common issues faced by respondents.
• Fear of backlash and loss of business was the leading reason for suppliers not reporting experience of UTPs.

The survey also found increased awareness of the Regulator’s confidential complaints process (1 in 2), though there remains some uncertainty about how to engage in this process.

Launching the results of the second annual survey, Niamh Lenehan, CEO of the Agri-Food Regulator, said: “I’m pleased to release the findings from our second annual suppliers survey. We are grateful to businesses who cooperated with the Regulator to distribute the survey to their agri-food suppliers – Aldi Stores Ireland, BWG Foods, Lidl Ireland, Marks and Spencer Ireland, Musgrave Group, Sysco Ireland and Tesco Ireland.

“This survey is an important opportunity to give a voice to suppliers to help ensure the Regulator better understands the realities of the current operating landscape – capturing what is working well in addition to the challenges they face.”

Ms Lenehan continued, “The survey findings include a number of positives – overall satisfaction with buyers has increased, with positive supplier experiences linked to good communication, understanding one another’s business realities, and a partnership mindset. There has also been a percentage decrease in the numbers suppliers who report having encountered a UTP.

“However, 11% of suppliers still report experiencing a UTP in the past year. The Regulator’s role is to ensure full compliance with the Regulations and to support fair and transparent trading relationships across the agri-food supply chain.

“Moreover, we need to ensure that all suppliers feel confident in raising a potential breach of the UT Regulations. Many suppliers expressed a fear of retaliation if they raised a complaint. As the Regulator, we still have much work to do in reassuring suppliers of the confidential complaints process, and their rights in their trading relationships.”

The survey also examined the wider issues facing agri-food suppliers in the coming year. Almost 1 in 4 (24%) noted pricing strategies and cost management as a key concern, with pricing pressures (15%) and market volatility (14%) ranking as leading concerns.

Click here for the findings of the Supplier Survey 2026.

An Rialálaí Agraibhia (Agri-Food Regulator) is an independent statutory Office established under the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Act 2023.

The Agri-Food Regulator is concerned with promoting fairness and transparency in the agri-food supply chain. Its statutory remit and focus is on business-to-business relationships within the supply chain. In exercising this function, the Agri-Food Regulator shall have regard to the circumstances and needs of the agricultural and food sector including, in particular, farming, fishing and small food businesses.

The Agri-Food Regulator is made up of a Board which makes decisions about the Office’s policies and strategic approach to key functions while the Executive Staff implements the agreed policies and workplan.

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