LONDON, U.K.: Amazon has once again been rated the worst major UK grocery retailer by its suppliers when it comes to following fair trading rules—despite showing signs of improvement over the past year.

According to the 2025 annual survey by the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA), only 66.4% of suppliers said Amazon "consistently" or "mostly" complied with the Groceries Supply Code of Practice (GSCOP). While that's up from 47% in 2024, the e-commerce giant still placed last out of 14 retailers—nearly 25 percentage points behind Lidl, which ranked second-to-last with 91.1%.

Amazon sells groceries in the UK through its website and Amazon Fresh convenience stores and has been subject to the Code since 2022. The Code is designed to ensure that large grocery retailers treat suppliers fairly—particularly around payments, contract terms, and dispute resolution. Other retailers covered include Tesco, Sainsbury's, Marks & Spencer, and Ocado.

The survey results come just days after the GCA launched a formal investigation into Amazon's payment practices. The probe will examine whether the company breached the Code by failing to pay suppliers on time over a three-year period.

A spokesperson for Amazon acknowledged the company still has work to do but welcomed the progress reflected in the latest survey. "We know from listening to our grocery suppliers that these changes, including to dispute resolution, payment practices and dedicated account management support, are making a positive difference," the spokesperson said. "We know there is much more to do."

The GCA's annual survey is a key barometer of how grocery suppliers view their relationships with large retailers. While Amazon remained at the bottom of the rankings, the 2025 report showed broader improvement across the industry.

The average perceived compliance score across all 14 retailers rose to 93% this year, up from 91% in 2024. The share of suppliers reporting Code-related issues also dropped—from 33% in 2024 to 30% in 2025.

"I'm pleased that average Code compliance has continued to improve across the sector," said Mark White, the Groceries Code Adjudicator. "It's particularly encouraging that the lowest five performing retailers in 2024—Home Bargains, Lidl, Morrisons, Iceland and Amazon—have all improved perceptions of their overall compliance."

Despite these gains, Amazon's position at the bottom of the list highlights ongoing tensions between the tech giant and its grocery suppliers. It remains to be seen whether regulatory pressure and internal reforms will be enough to close the gap with other UK food retailers in the year ahead.