The review follows comments reported by the BBC in which senior supermarket figures described the idea of a voluntary price freeze as “preposterous”, “idiotic”, and “dangerous”.

Despite these strong objections, GB2GB found that major UK supermarkets do not publish the profit data required to independently assess their claims.

1. Most supermarkets do not disclose gross profit

Tesco is the only major retailer with a full 10-year gross-profit dataset.

Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons publish partial metrics such as EBITDA or operating profit, but not gross profit, making long-term comparison impossible.

This lack of transparency means the public cannot verify claims that supermarkets operate on “thin margins” or are “simply passing on costs”.

2. Industry leaders demand government relief without providing evidence

In the BBC report, supermarket executives argued for:

reduced regulation

delays to packaging rules

delays to healthy-food rules

no price caps

no intervention in pricing

However, none provided the financial data needed to justify these demands.

GB2GB notes that if any commercial sector could avoid scrutiny simply by claiming rising costs, every industry in the UK would demand special treatment.

3. Claims about rising prices cannot be independently verified

Supermarkets frequently attribute price rises to:

global supply shocks

fertiliser and feed costs

shipping disruption

inflationary pressures

But without full disclosure of gross profit, net profit, and crisis-period margin changes, the public cannot determine whether these increases reflect genuine cost pressures or margin protection.

4. The CMA is preparing to intervene due to this opacity

The BBC article confirms that the Competition and Markets Authority will receive new powers to:

“name and shame” firms increasing margins during shocks

rapidly investigate price-gouging

identify companies exploiting crises

These powers exist because supermarkets do not voluntarily disclose enough data for proper scrutiny.

GB2GB concludes that supermarket objections to voluntary price freezes lack credibility without full profit transparency.

EXAMPLES OF GUILTY PARTIES:

1/. Upset Lidl shoppers have complained on social media the supermarket chain's updated loyalty scheme is less generous than before.

2/. Stuart Machin, chief executive of Marks & Spencer, said any move to cap food priced by the government was "completely preposterous".

3/. Meanwhile, former chairman of Ocado and Conservative peer Lord Stuart Rose told the Today programme: "I think the whole idea is the stuff of nonsense and it will never fly."

4/. The former boss of Sainsbury's Justin King told the BBC that the proposals were "pretty silly" and would create "all sorts of competition law issues".

5/. Helen Dickinson, the chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said: "The UK has the most affordable grocery prices in Western Europe thanks to the fierce competition between supermarkets,"

A government source told the BBC the BRC's comments were "hysterical".

If the industry wants special treatment, it must be forced to provide financial transparency - just as all other sections of the economy have to.

Multi-Billionaire Owned Right Wing media (outside mostly foreign) running Britain for their own preferred reasons and benefits - NATURALLY- at the expense of the British public's interests - NATURALLY.