«I have noted that the commission will investigate the entire supply chain, not just the grocery chains», says Director General Knut Eggum Johansen. He is satisfied that the overall objective of the report is the effective use of societal resources, and that the commission shall propose actions to protect consumers’ interests.

The primary objective of the commission’s work is to describe the consequences of recent and possible future developments in the food supply chain. As a member of the secretariat, the Norwegian Competition Authority will help the commission to research and analyze all the links in the supply chain.

On the basis of the review, the commission will assess whether the system as a whole leads to efficient use of resources and whether Norwegian consumers’ interests are taken care of with respect to price, quality, choice and availability.

Increased concentration and integration in the past few years has generated interest in better understanding the food supply chain. The Commission will review inter alia the structure of different levels in the supply chain, relationships among those levels including especially between suppliers and retailers, innovation, the emergence of new products, the use of private labels, and the transfer of risk. It will evaluate the effect of the current system on efficiency, consumers, competitiveness and other political goals for agriculture and the Norwegian food industry. It may propose remedies.

«I am looking forward to the commission’s report», said Eggum Johansen.

The food supply chain commission was presented last Friday and consists of 15 persons who represent various social and industrial interests. The chairman of the commission is Einar Steensnæs, former cabinet minister and parliamentary whip of the Norwegian Christian Democratic Party.

Magnus Gabrielsen, Acting Director of the Market Monitoring Department in the Norwegian Competition Authority, will sit in the Commission’s secretariat.

Read the mandate of the food supply chain commission (in English)

See who sits on the commission (in Norwegian)