In an outspoken article for the Guardian this week Nicholas Shaxson, co-founder of the Balanced Economy Project, an anti-monopoly NGO, argues that monopolistic power in the UK’s food system is severely harming both producers and consumers. He argues that British farmers face unfair conditions and arbitrary order cancellations, leading many to financial loss.
Shaxson likens the concentration of power in the food supply chain to the neck of an hourglass. He attributes the rise of these monopolies to a regulatory shift in the 1970s that favoured corporate efficiencies over consumer and producer welfare, allowing mergers and acquisitions to proliferate unchecked.
He calls for a reversal of this trend, advocating for aggressive antitrust actions to break up conglomerates and increase competition. He argues that historical examples, such as the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority forcing Facebook to sell Giphy, show that breaking up large firms is both possible and effective.
We are the UKs largest trade body for the meat industry and provide expert advice on trade issues, bespoke technical advice and access to government policy makers
We are proud to count businesses of all sizes and specialties as members. They range from small, family run abattoirs serving local customers to the largest meat processing companies responsible for supplying some of our best-loved brands to shops and supermarkets.
We are further strengthened by our associate Members who work in industries that support and supply our meat processing companies.
We are the voice of the British meat industry.
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