MOSCOW, September 12 (RAPSI) – Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office has cautioned retail giant Auchan against breach of anti-competition law, according to the statement published on the United Russia party’s website on Tuesday.

Earlier, the State Duma Deputy Speaker Irina Yarovaya filed a request with the Prosecutor General’s Office to make legal evaluation of a social audit procedure expected to be introduced by the retailer on January 1, 2018. Reportedly, all Auchan food products suppliers have been notified of the impending procedure. Auditors would allegedly check whether suppliers use child labor or not, how their employees are encouraged and punished; and would be interested in salary of suppliers’ employees and other matters.

According to the statement, the warning has been sent to the retailer in order to prevent law violation and creation of certain preferences for some companies and discrimination of others during the choice of audit firms for social audit performance and supplier selection.

The issuance of a warning to Auchan grants protection to the Russian producers and help the retailer avoid law-breaking, Yarovaya stated.