Grocery Code Of Conduct Of Canada

Building strength, resilience and trust across Canada's grocery supply chain

Canada’s grocery supply chain operates at the intersection of food security, affordability, and economic resilience. Ensuring that this system functions predictably and fairly has never been more important.

The Canada Grocery Code of Conduct is now fully implemented and operational. It establishes a shared framework that promotes transparency, certainty, and fair dealing as products move from suppliers to retailers and ultimately into Canadian homes. Developed collaboratively by industry leaders, the Code reflects a collective commitment to strengthening commercial relationships and supporting a stable, efficient grocery system that benefits businesses and consumers alike.

What is the Canada Grocery Code of Conduct?

The Canada Grocery Code of Conduct is a voluntary, industry-led framework governing commercial relationships between grocery retailers and suppliers. It is built around guiding principles that promote predictability, transparency, and fair dealing, supported by a governance structure and an independent dispute resolution mechanism.

As of January 1, 2026, the Code — including its Dispute Resolution Management Process (DRMP) — is fully operational, providing a structured and equitable mechanism to address commercial concerns. This milestone marks the transition from development to active implementation across the sector.

Why the Code matters

The Code addresses long-standing pressures within the grocery value chain by establishing clearer expectations and a shared framework for collaboration. Its objectives are practical and measurable:

Strengthening trust and accountability
Improving predictability and contractual certainty
Supporting fair and transparent business practices
Providing equitable dispute resolution
Enabling a more resilient and efficient supply chain

For industry, the Code creates greater operational clarity. For Canadians, it supports a grocery system better positioned to deliver stability, choice, and affordability.

Benefits to industry and consumers

Common standards for fairness and transparency reduce friction in supplier–retailer relationships and encourage more constructive collaboration — strengthening the supply chain overall.

Sector-wide participation reflects strong confidence in this voluntary framework. All major national grocery retailers, alongside more than 150 additional retailers and suppliers, are registered with the Office of the Grocery Sector Code of Conduct (OGSCC).

This broad engagement reinforces the Code’s role as a practical, industry-driven solution that benefits businesses and consumers alike.

A collaborative framework for the future

The Canada Grocery Code of Conduct represents a shared commitment to modernizing commercial relationships in a way that strengthens resilience, trust, and competitiveness across Canada’s grocery sector.

With participation continuing to grow, the Code provides a durable foundation for addressing commercial challenges while supporting innovation and collaboration throughout the supply chain — ultimately benefiting Canadian businesses and families.

For more information about governance, membership, and ongoing implementation, visit the OGSCC website.

FHCP leadership in building the Code

The Canada Grocery Code of Conduct exists because of sustained collaboration across Canada’s grocery ecosystem — and FHCP has played a central leadership role from the beginning.

The journey began with a joint proposal from FHCP and Empire to address systemic challenges in supplier–retailer commercial relationships. This effort led to the formation of a 10-person multi-stakeholder steering committee co-chaired by FHCP CEO Michael Graydon and then Retail Council of Canada President and CEO Diane Brisebois, tasked with developing the implementation framework that would guide the Code forward.

A 25-person cross-industry working group — representing retail, manufacturing, and primary processing sectors — provided practical operational insight. FHCP’s Errol Cerit served on the Code Design Team that finalized the Code’s provisions, helping ensure the framework reflects real-world business realities across the value chain.

The steering committee subsequently advanced the governance model through industry education sessions, culminating in the presentation of the finalized Code framework to federal, provincial, and territorial ministers. This collaborative process — supported by competition law expertise and broad stakeholder engagement — ensured the Code was balanced, practical, and aligned with Canada’s grocery marketplace.

From inception through implementation, FHCP leadership and member participation helped shape a framework built on fairness, predictability, and mutual accountability.

Governance and oversight

Oversight of the Code rests with the independent Office of the Grocery Sector Code of Conduct (OGSCC), responsible for administration, interpretation, dispute resolution, and ongoing industry engagement.

Karen Proud serves as President and Adjudicator of the OGSCC, bringing deep experience in retail, manufacturing, and regulatory leadership. Her appointment marked a critical step toward operational readiness and reinforced the collaborative foundation of the Code.

FHCP Resource Guide for members

As a co-author of the Canada Grocery Code of Conduct, FHCP developed a practical Code Resource Guide to support members in understanding and working within the framework.

The guide outlines key provisions and their potential application, offering clear, accessible insight into how the Code functions in day-to-day commercial relationships. While it does not constitute legal or business advice, it offers clear, practical insights to assist companies in determining how best to align the Code with their operations.

Grocery Code Of Conduct Of Canada | FHCP