The Government has been urged to renew the Groceries Order, which bans below cost selling and is currently under review. The order is now more crucial than ever, the chief executive of SuperValu, the State's largest independent grocery group has said.

Mr Eoin McGettigan said yesterday the Groceries Order was designed to protect Irish suppliers and maintain competition and fair pricing in the supermarket business. He said it was now more important than ever, because of the influx of overseas supermarket groups. He claimed the order was "good news for consumers".

The Groceries Order was introduced in 1987 during a price war between Dunnes Stores and Tesco during the latter's first entry into the Irish market. Mr McGettigan said it had prevented the multiples from demanding exorbitant "hello money" and provided some security to Irish suppliers.

Mr McGettigan was speaking at the annual SuperValu Quality Awards ceremony in Dublin yesterday. Awards were presented to 87 SuperValu outlets by the Minister for Public Enterprise, Ms O'Rourke.