The Agri-Food Regulator has launched its second annual survey of suppliers of agri food products into the retail and wholesale market.

The online survey gives suppliers an opportunity to confidentially provide feedback to the on experiences of trading with eight specific buyers.

They are Aldi Ireland, BWG Foods, Dunnes Stores, Lidl Ireland, Marks and Spencer Ireland, Musgrave Group, Sysco Ireland and Tesco Ireland.

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CEO of the Agri-Food Regulator Niamh Lenehan said the survey is a key annual process to help facilitate suppliers informing the regulator about their trading experiences.

“We want to hear the lived experiences of agri food product suppliers. This includes businesses supplying alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, plants, flowers, as well as all food products,” Lenehan added.

Last year’s survey, which gathered feedback on over 940 trading relationships, found a high overall level of supplier satisfaction with how buyers conduct their business, though one in seven respondents reported being subject to an unfair trading practice (UTP).

Requiring the supplier to pay for loss or product deterioration and delayed payments were the two most common issues faced by respondents.

However, many suppliers admitted to not raising potential breaches in UTPs with buyers, either due to lack of awareness on their rights or the wish to maintain long-term relationships.

Survey

Questions in the survey cover suppliers’ experiences of UTPs, their relationships with buyers, and other issues that may impact them.

“Honest and frank feedback from suppliers is crucial. Last year’s survey findings have helped to inform our ongoing work programme with respect to awareness campaigns and the conducting of risk-based inspections.

“The information provided also helps inform the regulator of good practices on the ground and will be used to support the development of buyer guidelines,” Lenehan said.

While the Agri-Food Regulator has sought the assistance from the eight buyer businesses to distribute the survey, buyers will not know if their suppliers do or do not complete it.

The survey is being conducted independently by RedC on behalf of the Agri-Food Regulator and the information provided will be treated with the strictest of confidence.

A supplier only needs to complete the survey once, even if they receive a link from more than one of the eight businesses.

If suppliers do not receive a link from their buyer, the survey is also available on the Agri-Food Regulator’s website.

Both direct suppliers (ie the business invoices the retailer/wholesaler) or indirect suppliers (ie they supply products to a business that ultimately get sold by a retailer/wholesaler) can complete the survey.

The survey is open for four weeks and will close on Wednesday 18 February 2026. It should take about 10-15 minutes to complete the survey. It is intended that the findings will be published in summer.