Accountancy watchdog to focus on suppliers after Tesco profits scandal.
According to
The Guardian, the Financial Reporting Council
(FRC) will make retailers’ relationships with their suppliers a priority due to
‘increasingly complex arrangements’ in their inspections in 2015/16. The FRC will
“pay particular attention to the audit of revenue recognition and complex supplier arrangements” at food, drink and consumer goods manufacturers, as well as retailers. They plan to check a significant number of audits - of the 140 checks planned - in these sectors.
More details of scope and process are given in the FRC latest Annual Report
published today, and for convenience we have highlighted key sections below, but best point your finance colleagues at the original document,
here.
As indicated, this is about Back Margin definitions and how suppliers and retailers account for payments made to retailers.
We believe that we are headed towards further clarity, meaning that payments to retailers will eventually be measured more accurately, paid retrospectively - in arrears - and based upon results achieved vs. agreed KPIs, in order to comply with strict auditing standards and process.
Action for suppliers:
- Identify and clarify all of the ways in which you remunerate the customer
- Reassess the 'buckets', clarify the definitions, measurement process and ensure the customer agrees...
- Focus on Tesco's three permitted buckets (scale discounts, rewards for display and payments re product re-calls) that will probably become 'standards' eventually, as SFO, FRC and GCA investigations begin to report findings
- Think through internal processes re proposal, objectives, agreement (you and the customer), timing and payment (if in any doubt about the eventual accounting rigour involved, check with your production colleagues re their capital requisition process...)
- Whilst your company will hopefully escape an FRC inspection in 2015/16, auditors will obviously be increasingly conscious of the risks involved and will be more than likely operating to the above standards anyway...
The FRS Annual Report (extracts)
Section 2-4 Page 7 refers to
...Given the focus in recent months in respect of complex supplier arrangements, food, drink and consumer goods manufacturers and retailers have been designated as a priority sector for our 2015/16 inspections and a significant number of audits we plan to inspect will be from those business sectors. These inspections will pay particular attention to the extent to which the audit team has challenged and corroborated the appropriateness of how complex supplier arrangements are accounted for. Corporate Reporting Review (CRR) as part of their programme of reviews of financial statements will also be giving priority to the reporting of these arrangements. We also plan to inspect a number of first year audits to assess the extent to which changes in auditors have an impact on audit quality.
In early 2015 we engaged external consultants to undertake an extensive review of our inspection activities and how these can promote continuous improvements in audit quality. The outcome of this review will be incorporated in the FRC’s Strategy for 2016/19.
Analysis of inspection findings: Section 3-5, page 16 Future Inspections: Section 7-2, page 32: ... planning to inspect around 140 audits.... The priority sectors for 2015/16 are insurance; food, drink and consumer goods manufacturers and retailers... Our inspections will pay particular attention to the audit of revenue recognition and complex supplier arrangements.
Appendix A, page 36 Inspection Process
Our inspections comprise a review of the firms’ policies and procedures supporting audit quality and a review of the quality of selected audits of listed and other major public interest entities that fall within the scope of independent inspection, as determined each year.
Scope in Appendix B
