The ANF continues to disucss a Code of Conduct with magazine distributors and publishers. Any code of conduct has to be a two way relationship. It will need levers of commpliance. The ANF does not have any compliance mechanism over newsagents. Given this, why would a supplier agree to KPIs when a newsagent will not?
Outside of this, the ANF sought input from newsagents more than a year ago when it was working on this code. Unfortunately, no feedback was provided to those who provided information, leaving doubt about the position they have put on behalf of newsagents.
I see a code of conduct or some compliance agreement as essential. However, it is better managed through commercial relationships which have compliance mechanisms which can drive better outcomes for both.
Once again the ANF are ‘negotiating’ an issue over which I have no visibility. What are they asking for? What is the outcome sought?
Regardless of who hold what authority from ACCC, I think that the industry needs a summit meeting, perhaps all the state bodies, the ANF and reps from all the marketing groups.