Food giant Mars, Incorporated has reportedly halted deliveries to German supermarket chain Edeka, due to a conflict over price increases.
Der Spiegel reported that the move was taken after price negotiations, which lasted several months, failed to reach a resolution.
The report claims that Mars demanded a price increase in the 'double-digit percentage range', with Edeka having rejected these demands for more than half a year, leading to the current dispute.
Edeka Disputes
This latest dispute is part of a wider trend, with Edeka and other large corporations, including Coca-Cola, embroiled in long-running pricing conflicts.
Commenting on the situation, a spokesperson for Edeka stated that the "significant price demands" from Mars were not justified. Meanwhile, a representative from Mars acknowledged the need for some "price adjustment".
According to reports, Edeka is planning to substitute around 450 Mars products with alternative brands or own-label products.
For its part, Mars is set to lose around €300 million in revenue as a result of the dispute, according to the Lebensmittel Zeitung trade press portal.
Jumbo And Mars
Earlier this month, Dutch supermarket chain Jumbo also found itself in a pricing dispute with Mars, which has resulted in limited availability of Mars products in Jumbo stores and online, according to local media reports.
"We are confronted with very high price increases from certain suppliers," a Jumbo spokesperson was quoted as saying. "Some price increases cannot be explained to us."
Read More: Dutch Retailer Jumbo In Dispute With Mars Over Pricing
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