Food supply chains differ in size and number of operators but are rarely to the advantage of the farmers. Their negotiating power is usually weaker than bigger elements of the chain, such as retailers, and this can result in the value throughout the supply chain not being adequately distributed. 

With about 11 million farms and 44 million people employed in the EU food supply chain, ensuring that the chain remains balanced and fair for everyone is of great importance at European level. In January 2016, Commissioner Phil Hogan launched the Agricultural Markets Task Force with a view to looking into ways of strengthening the position of farmers in the wider food chain. This group of experts from across the food supply chain met regularly, concluding with a report in November 2016. The report focused on three areas for legislative measures: producer cooperation, unfair trading practices and market transparency.