Print industry representatives were among trade bodies, insolvency practitioners and creditors attending the consultative meeting, which was chaired by employment relations minister Norman Lamb.
In January, the then employment relations minister Ed Davey announced that the government was scrapping plans to introduce changes to the current legislation on pre-pack sales.
Proposals to introduce a moratorium period during pre-pack sales had been announced by the coalition in the 2011 Budget, following a consultation carried out in 2010 investigating alternative options to the controversial insolvency tool. But the minister then told the business community that it was unnecessary to introduce new measures other than for micro-businesses.
But as part of an urgent review now being carried out by the Insolvency Service – an agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills – stakeholders were asked to give their views on how transparency and confidence (particularly for small businesses) could be improved within existing regulations.
The Insolvency Agency is to collate views expressed in the meeting and consider what non-legislative changes could be implemented to ensure creditors had confidence in the process.
A spokesperson said: "These include a fact-sheet on the Insolvency Service website to provide more information to creditors and requiring trade bodies to educate their members, to ensure that any abuse will be brought to the attention of regulators."
But BPIF public affairs advisor Andrew Brown, who attended the meeting, said it was a disappointing outcome and that he had little confidence in non-regulatory measures having an effect.
"A lot was said, but whether it will make a big difference, I don’t know. Non-regulatory suggests voluntary action, and an undertaking between the insolvency professions and the government that things will be done differently to improve transparency and confidence. I think that may be difficult.
"I am not confident in it working unless the minister is prepared to lean on people to improve the situation or face regulation."
Nigel Stubley, managing director of book printer Northend Creative Print Solutions, said the latest move was a complete "climb-down" by the government hiding behind red tape.
He added: "In the print industry, one man’s pre-pack is another man’s administration."
