Waitrose will reintroduce a penalty charge for suppliers that do not adhere to its strict delivery standards, following a suspension of the fees during Covid.

The high-end supermarket’s buyers emailed suppliers to notify them that Waitrose plans to bring back the fines from mid-April 2024, as part of a wider review of its delivery standards process, The Grocer reported.

Examples of non-compliance include improperly documented shipments and late delivery.

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Suppliers were told they would be notified of pending charges through the supplier web portal, and will still have 30 days to challenge any non-compliance case.

“Delivery standards are normal across the industry, but were suspended during the Covid outbreak and its aftermath when our industry and suppliers were facing a particularly challenging period,” a Waitrose spokeswoman told The Grocer.

“We are confident the charges we are reintroducing will be fair and proportionate – but we have an honest and open relationship with our suppliers who are encouraged to raise any concerns.”

However, Waitrose’s new proposals have been met by criticism by some suppliers, who point to precarious availability levels of products, and road disruptions can potentially justified delayed shipments.