Shopping the Bullies Executive Summary

It is a crucial time for our town centres and high streets and for the planning policies that are supposed to support them. The Competition Commission and the Treasury are both scrutinising the planning system – concerned that it may be hindering competition and the further growth of the major supermarkets. Proposals that would make it easier for supermarkets to build more huge out of town stores are expected to be released by the government in May 2007. This report shows that the big supermarkets don’t need any help with their expansion plans. It reveals that supermarkets employ a range of tactics to manipulate the planning rules to their own advantage, sometimes even presenting inaccurate information to local decision makers. It updates Friends of the Earth’s previous report ‘“Calling the Shots” ’ which found that the biggest supermarkets (Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons) already held a disproportionate degree of influence and advantage in the planning system. The Competition Commission has suggested that abuse of the planning system is not widespread but this report indicates that it is. The new report also looks at how recently recommended reforms to the plannin