The Globe and Mail reports in its Wednesday edition that speaking to an audience at a Retail Council of Canada event in Toronto on Tuesday, Empire chief executive Michael Medline said there is no evidence that a grocery code of conduct would raise food prices. A Canadian Press dispatch to The Globe reports that Mr. Medline said he would not support a grocery code of conduct for his industry if he thought it would raise food prices. Mr. Medline, who was the first grocery executive to speak out in favour of a code, said he hopes the grocery code could lead to lower food prices in the future, but added it is not a panacea "for all the issues that drive up prices." Last fall, Loblaw and Walmart said they would not sign on to the code as currently drafted, stalling progress as the agreement neared completion. Proponents of the code say it will help level the playing field for suppliers and smaller grocery retailers by introducing rules for negotiations between industry players. It would also include a dispute resolution process. Loblaw and Walmart, however, have said they are concerned it would raise food prices for Canadians. The impasse has led to talk of the code being made mandatory instead of voluntary.