In the wake of Lidl's recent announcement that it is to provide the 'living wage' for its staff, Irish Farmers' Association president Eddie Downey said that the move will ring hollow in the minds of farmers and fresh produce suppliers who, as a result of pressure from retailers to do more for less, claim that they are struggling to make any profit.
Downey said that hundreds of small, family-run vegetable suppliers and producers have been forced out of business over the last number of years by the aggressive pricing policies of retailers.
According to Downey, "Everyone is entitled to a living wage, but not at the expense of someone else in the supply chain. Would Lidl like to tell its customers what they are going to do to ensure that farmers and others supplying them will get a living wage?
"Extra business costs of retailers can no longer be at the expense of suppliers."
Downey called on Lidl and other retailers to immediately move to "pay all their suppliers a price that ensures primary producers in the food supply chain get a fair reward for their hard work and investment."
© 2015 - Checkout Magazine by Niall Swan
