Rags are flying behind the scenes. Retailers and brand manufacturers are arguing about conditions. It’s about purchase quantities and prices. FOCUS online tells you which products you can’t find at Edeka, Rewe, Aldi and other retailers.
The condition negotiations take place every year in autumn. These are important conversations that supermarkets and manufacturers have behind closed doors. It gets very contentious.
Insiders had repeatedly spoken to our editorial team about psychological tricks and sudden cancellations of conversations. Retailers and manufacturers are trying to get better conditions out of the negotiations. Above all, a high level of emotional pressure is built up.
While retailers are clearly feeling the months of slack in buying, manufacturers are confronted with rising production costs.
Brand manufacturers want to raise prices, make packs smaller and also deliver a lot more goods. Discounters and supermarkets reject the suggestions from the industry.
Retailers such as Edeka, Rewe, Aldi Süd, Aldi Nord, Lidl, Kaufland and others fear that sales could continue to fall due to rising prices. Customers are much more price-conscious when shopping than they were a year ago. The industry is calling for price adjustments in the double-digit percentage range, which retailers reject. There are currently more and more quarrels, which also escalate in the meantime.
In the past few weeks, there have been significantly more delistings and delivery stops. Industry experts emphasize that both measures are merely a means of exerting pressure. Neither the dealers nor the manufacturers would be interested in it. Manufacturers can sell fewer goods, supermarkets are struggling with empty shelves and have to make up for this with alternative branded products.
The soft drinks company Coca-Cola had already warned of a delivery stop.
The first Edeka branches reacted to the affront and then stopped the orders. At the same time, the branches inform about the price dispute with signs. As FOCUS online learned from business circles, the entire Coca-Cola range is affected. Including Coca-Cola, Fanta, Sprite, Monster, Lift, Fuzetea, Apolinaris and Vio.
What is explosive is that Coca-Cola is not only concerned with prices, but also with shelf space in order to push the Costa Coffee brand. It’s primarily about the capsule business.
Apparently there are also disputes with Mondelez. The focus is on spreadable cheese from Philadelphia and chocolate from Milka. The entire product range of both brands is only available at a few Edeka branches. In many cases, the stamps are even missing completely. Edeka merchants inform their customers with signs. Shown on it, among other things, Philadelphia and Milka.
Upon request, Philadelphia’s customer service reported that bottlenecks could occur “infrequently”. The press offices do not comment.
A delivery stop currently also applies to Maggi and Knorr products. Here, too, the purchase prices are in the foreground.
Rewe retailers also report to FOCUS online that individual Philadelphia products are currently missing from the refrigerated counter. The products are “mostly” not even available to order. There are also problems with Knorr and Maggi products. However, these are due to production bottlenecks.
At Netto Marken-Discount, the chocolate manufacturer Mars apparently threatened to stop delivery at short notice. It was to blame that the Edeka subsidiary rejected any price increases and also made this public. Snickers, Mars and Milky Way bars were affected.
The big discounter market leaders Aldi Süd, Aldi Nord and Lidl are also currently in talks with major manufacturers. Here, however, products have already flown off the shelves because there was a dispute over prices and conditions.
As Aldi insiders report, the branches are currently missing products from “Fruchtzwerge” and “Activia”. Both yoghurt brands belong to the Danone group and have not been available for several weeks.
At Lidl, products from “Müllermilch”, “Henkel” and “Beiersdorf” are again missing on the shelves. According to information from FOCUS online, it is about the deodorant from Nivea, dishwashing liquid from Pril and other drugstore items from Bref and Somat.
The “Lebensmittel Zeitung” also confirms the relevant information. Apparently, the discounters are thinning out their brand business. The primary concern is that customers increasingly turn to the cheaper Lidl and Aldi brands. Sales of branded products are declining again.
If you don’t want to do without your favorite products, you should rely on specialist shops and other supermarkets.
Beverage stores, for example, have juices and soft drinks from different manufacturers on offer on the shelves. In addition, they usually deliver the goods directly to your home for a small fee.
If there is no dog or cat food, pet supply stores can help. A visit to the drugstore retailer is worthwhile for hygiene articles, kitchen rolls and toilet paper.
Discounters can be a cheap alternative for food from brand manufacturers. Aldi, Lidl and Penny in particular offer special brand discounts at the weekend, which can only be found in the range for a short time.
Consumers have little leeway in the current situation. FOCUS online advises: Look more in the weekly brochures of the supermarkets for offers.
Prospectuses are mailed out weekly, often between Thursday and Saturday. In some regions, the magazines can be found in your local city or weekly newspaper. Be sure to remove any “No Ads Please” stickers from the mailbox.
Supermarket prices are skyrocketing, but furniture, clothing, shoes and other consumer goods are also becoming more expensive. As a retail expert, I know the tricks of the trade and tell you how you can save money for you and your family every month when shopping. Would you like to talk to me about your savings tips and savings tricks? Did you notice anything while shopping? Then send an e-mail to Konstantinos.mitsis@burda-forward.de with your name and telephone number
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