Supermarkets face scrutiny over fees.
The Wall Street Journal. Federal antitrust regulators have also taken a renewed interest in the way retailers will accept discounts from large manufacturers, while demanding upfront payments from smaller ones, to secure prime shelf space. The Federal Trade Commission is expected to issue a report examining slotting fees by the end of the year. Report Ordered Earlier this year, Mr. Bond ordered the General Accounting Office, the investigative arm of Congress, to prepare a report on slotting fees. Fruit and vegetable growers at the hearing pointed out that slotting fees were originally intended to insture retailers against the risk of placing new, untested products on their shelves.