... In the UK, the grocery sector is one of the most diverse and sophisticated in the world, worth nearly £185bn per year... Supermarkets have delivered low prices, unparalleled year-round choice and ‘just in time’ convenience to many consumers in the UK. But they have done so by using their huge buyer power to exert relentless pressure on their suppliers to cut costs while meeting exacting quality requirements, often using a range of unfair trading practices to do so...A new Supermarkets Scorecard developed by Oxfam rates and ranks the most powerful UK supermarkets (the four largest and two fastest-growing) on the strength of their policies and practices to address human rights and social sustainability. The Scorecard sets challenging benchmarks based on robust international standards and widely recognized best practice on transparency and accountability, and on the treatment of workers, small-scale farmers and women in supply chains. These are all areas in which we believe UK supermarkets are well placed to drive positive change and maintain consumers’ trust...