Belgian supermarket chain Colruyt has found an agreement with Douwe Egberts about its price conditions, and readmits the coffee products to its shelves. A similar deal with Coca-Cola has not yet been struck.
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End of conflict
A few weeks ago, Douwe Egberts products were delisted from most Colruyt and OKay shelves, due to long-lasting price negotiations between both parties. That dispute has now been resolved: Colruyt spokeswoman Hanne Poppe has told Belgian newspaper De Standaard that an agreement has been reached with the coffee producer.
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Not all news is good though: the supermarket chain (and its international Agecore allies) are still in conflict with Coca-Cola. Here too, lengthy negotiations have been going on about prices and other conditions. According to Poppe, those conversations are still ongoing.
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Experts believe that such conflicts will arise more often, as a result of tensions between manufacturers and retailers. The market is stagnating, retailers' margins are under great pressure due to stronger competition and the rise of e-commerce in the food sector. On the other hand, manufacturers, under the pressure of shareholders, want to create more profit through price increases.
