Morrisons simplifies supplier relations

Morrisons will share more operational data with suppliers, improving relations and transparency, and…

Morrisons will share more operational data with suppliers, improving relations and transparency, and enabling suppliers to plan and make better decisions for customers.

The supermarket said that it will share data including sales, forecasting, waste, stock and range information via its supplier database. It will also allow suppliers to see customer data from its More Card.

The move follows feedback from suppliers who said that having access to this data would enable them to plan and make the right decisions for Morrisons customers.

The Morrisons Supplier Database is being enhanced so that suppliers can quickly view and interact with sales and supply chain performance data.

This, it said, will help both the retailer and its suppliers to take action to increase availability, reduce waste, improve promotional performance and ensure the right product is at the right place, at the right time.

Following a “positive” pilot, the new supplier relations will be launched this month. Morrisons said it will be a free service that all suppliers can register to access.

This month, the supermarket will also launch Morrisons Edge, supported by IRI, a provider of customer analytics. This will provide buyers and suppliers with the retailer with basket data and shopper information, combined with market information.

The retailer is also launching a raft of new initiatives designed to make it simpler to work with. This includes changing its internal structures; planning promotions further out to enable better planning with suppliers, and improving capacity of its own-brand team to speed up new product development.

“We have big plans for the year and we aim to grow profitably with our suppliers,” said Group Commercial Director, Andy Atkinson.

“We’ve said we want to be simpler to work with – and all of these improvements will help buyers to spend more time with suppliers to work on long term initiatives to unlock mutual growth.”