Amazon has come bottom of the Groceries Code Adjudicator’s (GCA) supplier compliance rankings for the third year running, with more than one in three of its grocery suppliers reporting that it rarely or never complies with the industry’s fair treatment rules.

The Times reported that the GCA’s annual survey, covering 14 major food retailers, found that only 66% of the online giant‘s suppliers felt the company consistently or mostly followed the Groceries Code, which governs fair dealings between retailers and their suppliers.

This compares with 91% at Lidl, the next lowest on the list, and an average of 93% across all retailers surveyed.

Nearly 34% of suppliers said Amazon rarely or never complied with the code, compared with fewer than 9% at Lidl and just 2.25% at Waitrose, which topped the rankings.

Suppliers to Amazon were also more likely to have reported issues in the past year, with 13% having raised problems with the retailer. This is significantly higher than the 3% reported by suppliers to Sainsbury’s, the second worst on this measure.

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Last week, the GCA launched a targeted investigation into Amazon over suspected breaches of fair payment rules. The adjudicator, established in 2013 to enforce the Groceries Code, has the authority to fine retailers up to 1% of their UK grocery turnover.

Amazon, which has been included in the survey since 2022, noted it had made significant progress, with a 19-point increase year-on-year in suppliers saying it mostly or consistently follows the rules — up from 47% in 2024.

GCA chief executive Mark White said overall treatment of suppliers across the grocery sector was improving but urged retailers to act on the findings. “We expect retailers to review their results and make changes in response,” he said.

An Amazon spokesperson said the company took the code “extremely seriously” and highlighted recent improvements in dispute resolution, payment practices, and dedicated account management support. The retailer expressed disappointment at the investigation but confirmed it would co-operate fully.

This week the online giant announced a £40bn investment in the UK over three years, including plans to open four new fulfilment centres and create thousands of jobs.

The business, already one of the UK’s biggest private employers with a 75,000-strong workforce, said it will build two major warehouses in the East Midlands, due to open in 2027.

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