Confidence in supermarkets will be hit hard

Commenting on news that two big supermarkets have admitted they colluded to hike milk prices, Carl Belgrove, the National Consumer Council’s competition expert said: ‘Today’s admission of guilt by Sainsbury’s and Asda confirms that these supermarkets have been creaming off money from their customers in breach of competition laws – helping neither customers nor their farm suppliers.

‘Without the OFT’s investigation this shameful episode would not have come to light. It will do enormous damage to the reputation of supermarkets. Consumers have always trusted supermarkets to provide value for money, but they will be more sceptical about their claims in the future.

‘This problem may well not be restricted to the two supermarkets that have owned up today. We urge the other supermarkets to co-operate with the OFT.’