Minister Heydon announces additional powers for the Agri-Food Regulator to enhance transparency in the food supply chain
- Published on: 16 December 2025
- Last updated on: 10 March 2026
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, today announced the introduction of new regulations that will confer enhanced powers on the Agri-Food Regulator, fulfilling a key commitment under the Programme for Government to strengthen transparency and fairness across the agri-food supply chain.
An Rialálaí Agraibhia (The Agri-Food Regulator), established in December 2023 under the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Act 2023, has a dual statutory role: enforcing legislation on unfair trading practices (UTPs); and, carrying out price and market analysis to improve transparency and equity throughout the agri-food supply chain.
Since its establishment, the Regulator has played a vital role in protecting stakeholders across the sector. Minister Heydon paid tribute to this work, stating:
“Since its establishment, the Agri-Food Regulator has fulfilled its statutory role to the highest standards, in particular on the enforcement of unfair trading practice legislation, and continues to work effectively on behalf of stakeholders in the agri-food sector.”
Enhanced powers to support market transparency
Minister Heydon confirmed that he has now signed regulations that will provide the Regulator with additional powers to compel the provision of price and market information from businesses in circumstances where voluntary requests for such information have not been complied with.
On this Minister Heydon stated:
“I am now introducing regulations which will confer additional powers on the Regulator. Under these regulations, the Regulator will have the capacity to compel price and market information from operators in cases where businesses have not complied with requests for information voluntarily. I am satisfied that these regulations are proportionate and will allow the Regulator to provide insightful analysis into the agri-food sector, while having regard to any potential impact on competitiveness or the distortion of competition.”
The enhanced powers relate specifically to the Regulator’s price and market analysis function, which is entirely separate from its enforcement role in relation to unfair trading practices.
Scope and proportionality
The Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Act 2023 applies across the agri-food supply chain, including supermarkets and large retailers. However, Minister Heydon confirmed that the new regulations will exclude small businesses in recognition of the potential administrative burden such measures can place on smaller enterprises.
For the purposes of these regulations, a small business is defined, in line with EU legislation, as an enterprise that employs fewer than 50 persons and whose annual turnover and/or annual balance sheet total does not exceed €10 million.
Commenting on the scope and proportionality Minister Heydon said:
“I am conscious that smaller enterprises can be disproportionately impacted by regulatory or administrative burdens. Having discussed this with relevant parties, I am satisfied that the quality and robustness of the Regulator’s analysis will not be significantly impacted by the exclusion of small businesses.”
To further minimise administrative burden, the regulations provide that the Regulator may not compel data for an individual product from any business more than once in a 12-month period.
Commencement date
The regulations will come into effect on 31 December 2026, allowing sufficient lead-in time for the Agri-Food Regulator to develop the necessary systems, processes and procedures to implement the new powers effectively.
In the interim, the Regulator will continue to carry out its market analysis and reporting functions using publicly available information and data provided voluntarily by businesses.
Consultative and legislative process
Minister Heydon noted that the introduction of these powers required careful consideration, as they go beyond existing EU market transparency regulations and he added:
“As this extension of powers involves novel legislation, my department undertook a detailed consultative and legislative process before drafting the regulations. I needed to be satisfied that any additional powers conferred on the Regulator were proportionate.”
The consultative process included engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, including farm bodies, industry and retail representatives, relevant government departments, State agencies and the Agri-Food Regulator itself.
Strengthening the position of smaller suppliers
The Minister emphasised that the primary objective of the regulations is to improve transparency in the agri-food supply chain and to strengthen the position of smaller suppliers who may face larger buyers with greater bargaining power.
“These enhanced powers will significantly improve the Regulator’s ability to deliver meaningful and insightful price and market analysis across all parts of the agri-food supply chain, including the retail sector,”
Minister Heydon concluded
Notes
The Agri-Food Regulator was established on 13 December 2023 under the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Act 2023.
The Regulator performs:
- an enforcement function in relation to unfair trading practices in the agricultural and food supply chain; and
- a price and market analysis and reporting function aimed at ensuring greater transparency and fairness, with a view to strengthening the position of smaller suppliers
Under Section 12(3)(d) of the 2023 Act, the Regulator may seek data relevant to price and margins, including but not limited to:
- prices paid and received
- margins
- financial and accounting data
- throughput of agricultural produce
- policy and procedural data
- employment status and salary information
In publishing analysis, the Regulator is required to have regard to the potential impact on competitiveness and the risk of distortion of competition within the agriculture, retail and food service sectors.