Discount retailers in Jersey (FOI)

Request

A

Are there any obstacles in place to Jersey having a discount retailer such as Aldi or Lidl? 

B

Does any politician have a vested interest in there not been a discount retailer on the island for example or does any politician or civil servant have shares in food retailers currently trading in Jersey? 

Response

A

There are no obstacles in place that would prevent such retailers from coming to Jersey (e.g., market protection) though they would need to establish if the market fundamentals would work for them.

There are some indicators in the recent Jersey Competition Regulatory Authority (JCRA) grocery survey that explain some of the factors affecting the price of shopping for local customers that could be referred to. Please see the following link: 

M-007 - Groceries Market Study (jcra.je)

B

Information about each States member, including their declaration of interests, is presented on the States members’ page of the States Assembly website. Information for a particular member, including the declaration, can be reached by clicking on the member’s name via the link below. 

States Members' Page (statesassembly.gov.je) 

Under each Member’s profile there is a Declaration of Interest. Under Section 3 ‘Shareholdings’, members are required to provide the name and address of any company in which they, or their spouse or cohabitee, or both, whether jointly or separately, own shares exceeding:

(a) 1% or more of the issued share capital of the company; or

(b) £25,000 in value.

The Government of Jersey does not hold any information of any officers or members working or representing the Government of Jersey regarding personal shares that would be directly or indirectly affiliated or associated with food retailers currently trading on the island.

The employee Codes of Practice, under the heading `Probity’, states “…They have a duty to declare any private interests relating to their public duties and to take steps to resolve any conflicts arising in a way that protects the public interest.”

It also states under the heading `Performance and accountability’, sub-heading `All public servants’ that “All public servants must: `…. disclose to their line manager or through corporate systems anything that may impact on their role at work, including external issues such as legal action against them, investigations, convictions, or conflicts of interest.”

States of Jersey Codes of Practice (gov.je)

No further information is held by the Government of Jersey. Article 3 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 applies. 

Article applied 

Article 3 - Meaning of “information held by a public authority”

For the purposes of this Law, information is held by a public authority if –

(a)     it is held by the authority, otherwise than on behalf of another person; or

(b)     it is held by another person on behalf of the authority.