Straight answer
How to get your product into UK supermarkets in 2026
How do you get a product into UK supermarkets?
Getting into UK supermarkets takes a product that is ready for retail as well as good. You need compliant labels, GS1 barcodes, food safety certification, a margin that survives retailer terms and promotions, and proof it sells. Start with a regional or local listing, win on rate of sale, then earn wider distribution at range review.
Last reviewed 11 September 2026. Written by Steph Hamill, HAM Agency.
The market you are walking into
IGD forecasts the UK grocery market at £258.5 billion in 2026, rising to £303.7 billion by 2031 (IGD forecast, published 25 June 2026). IGD's view is that growth will be harder won, driven mostly by inflation and population rather than people buying more.
| Channel | Share of grocery in 2026 | Forecast share in 2031 |
|---|---|---|
| Supermarkets | 42.3% | 41.9% |
| Convenience | 18.7% | 18.0% |
| Discount | 17.1% | 17.4% |
| Online | 10.9% | 12.1% |
Source: IGD forecast, June 2026. Discount and online are growing fastest. Plan your route with that in mind.
The retail-ready checklist
Legal and safety
- Registered as a food business with your local council at least 28 days before trading
- Labels carry the name of the food, ingredients, allergens emphasised, quantity, date mark, storage instructions, business name and address, country of origin where required and a nutrition declaration
- Checked whether your product is less healthy food or drink under the nutrient profiling model
- Product liability insurance in place
Commercial
- GS1 barcodes on every unit, and on outer cases
- Third-party food safety certification the buyer accepts. SALSA is common for smaller producers and BRCGS at larger sites. Ask the buyer which they need
- A price ladder from your cost to the shelf price, including the retailer's margin, promotional funding and logistics
- A promotional plan you can afford for a full year
- Supply capacity for the listing, plus a buffer, with named back-up suppliers
The buyer pack
- One page on the category and how your product grows the whole category
- Who buys it and why, with evidence
- Rate of sale where it is already stocked
- Price, margin and promotional plan
- Supply capacity and lead times
- Certification and insurance
- The marketing that will drive shoppers to the shelf
The promotion rules for less healthy food
In England, medium and large retailers (50 or more employees) have been barred from promoting less healthy products at store entrances, aisle ends and checkouts, and in the online equivalents, since 1 October 2022. Volume price promotions such as multibuys have been restricted since 1 October 2025, with a transition until 30 September 2026 for existing stock with on-pack offers. TV advertising before 9pm and paid online advertising for less healthy products have been restricted UK-wide since 5 January 2026.
If your product is in scope, your promotional plan needs to work without those tools.
Know your rights
The Groceries Supply Code of Practice applies to 14 designated retailers, each with UK groceries turnover above £1 billion. It covers the big supermarkets, the discounters and the largest online grocers. The Groceries Code Adjudicator enforces it. The Code sets rules on payments, retrospective changes to agreements, listing fees, marketing costs, forecasting errors, wastage and delisting. You can raise issues confidentially.
Read the Adjudicator's Code Confident pack before your first negotiation, not after your first dispute.
The route in
| Step | What it looks like | What gets you to the next step |
|---|---|---|
| Prove it | Independents, farm shops, delis, online direct | Repeat purchase and reviews |
| Regional listing | A small number of stores in one region | Rate of sale against the category |
| Online grocers and marketplaces | Listings with lower range constraints | Conversion and repeat rate |
| National listing | Range review with a national buyer | Everything above, plus supply at scale |
How HAM helps
HAM gets consumer brands into UK retail through Portfolio strategy, innovation and growth: the margin model, the buyer pack, the route in and the plan to keep the listing. Try the free retail-ready checklist or take the discovery quiz.
Questions
Do I need GS1 barcodes to sell in a supermarket?
Yes. GS1 is the authorised source of product barcode numbers, and major retailers and marketplaces require GS1 numbers. Numbers bought elsewhere can be rejected.
Should I approach a national buyer first?
Usually not. A regional or local listing lets you prove rate of sale at a scale you can supply. National buyers want that evidence.
What protects me once I am listed?
If the retailer is one of the 14 designated under the Groceries Supply Code of Practice, the Code sets rules on payments, retrospective changes, listing fees, marketing costs, forecasting errors, wastage and delisting. The Groceries Code Adjudicator enforces it and you can raise issues confidentially.
Do the promotion rules apply to my product?
If it counts as less healthy food or drink under the nutrient profiling model, medium and large retailers in England cannot promote it by location or by volume price, and TV and online advertising is restricted from 5 January 2026.
Sources
- IGD: UK grocery market outlook to 2031 (25 June 2026)
- GOV.UK: Groceries Code Adjudicator, about us
- Groceries Code Adjudicator: Code Confident pack (August 2026)
- GOV.UK: Food labelling and packaging
- GOV.UK: Register a food business
- GOV.UK: Restricting promotions of products high in fat, sugar or salt, implementation guidance
- GOV.UK: Less healthy food or drink, advertising and promotions restrictions
- GS1 UK: Get a barcode