UK Food Supply Chain Serious Incident Escalation and Management Protocol

Where a serious incident occurs within the supply chain of multiple retailers and/or suppliers, organisations are encouraged to collaborate to reduce duplication of activity and unnecessary burden for all parties; promote good practice and efficiency in the resolution of issues; provide confidence and assurance to all stakeholders that the matter is being managed in the best interests of those impacted.

The Serious Incident Case Escalation and Management Protocol:

• Outlines the recommended process for suppliers to report to their retailer customers potential cases of modern slavery such as forced labour, human trafficking, debt bondage and other forms of serious worker exploitation in their UK operations and supply chains (serious incidents)
• Lays out how retailers will handle such cases received from suppliers in order to drive consistent application of good practice.

This document was updated in April 2026 following extensive review and feedback. Please see the updated version below.