“It is true that Mars has stopped supplying Rewe in Austria,” said Rewe spokesman Paul Pöttschacher. This applies not only to bars such as Snickers or Mars, but also to dog and cat foods such as Pedigree and Whiskas, as well as Wrigley’s gum or Ben’s rice. The background is that Mars asked higher prices, “to a degree that we cannot comprehend and that is completely excessive for us”.
Pöttschacher pointed out that the prices of comparable competing products have risen less and that Mars charges less for its products in other countries. “We will not allow customers in Austria to pay significantly more than in other countries,” the “Salzburger Nachrichten” (SN) quoted the spokesperson as saying. Mars did not accept lower price increases and therefore stopped supplying. However, negotiations are still ongoing and, given the stocks, customers are not yet affected. In any case, it’s not about a “delisting” of Mars products.
There are also problems with individual products from other international brands. These include the spreadable Philadelphia cheese from Milka’s parent company Mondelez, Pringles chips from Kellogg’s, and some “by-products” from Haribo. On the other hand, Rewe has always been able to come to an agreement with the major domestic producers, says Pöttschacher.
Edeka also argues with Coca-Cola
The Swiss retail giant Coop has also removed a number of products from the brand multinational Mars from its range because Mars wanted to implement “above average price increases” across the entire range from Coop’s point of view. Coop offers its customers alternatives from its own product lines. Also in Germany Mars currently does not deliver Rewe or Edeka. Edeka is also arguing with Coca-Cola over delivery.
Mars Austria does not want to comment on the dispute
Spar spokeswoman Nicole Berkmann calls the price negotiations with the industry after the “Salzburger Nachrichten” “extremely tough”. “Up to now we have always managed to reach an agreement, but here too we cannot rule out anything,” she says. In return, the sale of the own brands of retail chains is booming, such as Pöttschacher and Berkmann confirm in the “SN”. Mars Austria declined to comment on the dispute on Thursday, the “SN” writes. Mondelez spokeswoman Livia Kolmitz also confirmed the Philadelphia delivery stop, but declined to comment on ongoing negotiations.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
