The Taoiseach today described the Groceries Order as "dangerous and hugely anti-competitive interference" in free trade.
Addressing delegates at the inaugural RGDATA members' summit in Croke Park, Mr Ahern said the order contributed directly to the demise of more than 20 per cent of small independent grocery retailers and resulted in fewer retailers having a greater share of the market.
The order was abolished in November 2005 despite intensive lobbying from smaller grocers and retail outlets.
Mr Ahern said today that it had allowed suppliers rather than retailers to decide the minimum prices at which to sell groceries to the public and added "all it achieved was to force consumers to pay higher prices for their groceries".
He said the Government believed competition was the life-blood of the economy and promoted efficiency and innovation.