Farmers back calls for retention of Groceries Order
The Irish Farmers Association has called on the Government to retain the ban on below-cost selling introduced 18 years ago.
The ban, contained in the 1986 Groceries Order, is designed to prevent large supermarkets from putting small retailers out of business.
Consumer groups and bodies representing large retailers are calling for it to be abolished, claiming it keeps some prices artificially high.
However, organisations representing small shop-keepers have claimed such a move would harm its members and lead to less choice for consumers.
They have also argued that large supermarkets would jack up their prices again as soon as they had put their competitors out of business.
The IFA has now come out in support of this stance, saying removing the Groceries Order would be "a road to disaster".
