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19 February 2008
FPB urges competition commission to help smaller retailers
The Forum of Private Business (FPB) has urged the Competition Commission to ensure that its proposed measures on supermarket monopolies benefit smaller retailers.
The organisation claimed that the 'competition test' which prevents supermarket chains from dominating an area would allow more room for a multitude of chains in a single region, rather than provide more breathing space for smaller companies.
Phil McCabe, a member of the FPB, suggested that the Commission's main concern must be small retailers.
"The problem, as far as many of the FPB's members are concerned, is that the Commission got its diagnosis of the retail sector's problems all wrong in its preliminary findings, which were published in October," he said.
"Other chains might find it difficult to get a foothold in an area dominated by a rival, but the bigger issue is that small retailers are struggling to survive. Protecting them must be of paramount importance," he added.
The FPB also claimed that the Commission should have granted anonymity to both small retailers and wholesalers who wanted to provide evidence, amidst fears that doing so would harm business.
(c) 2008 Adfero Ltd.
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