Sander van der Laan, executive VP at Albert Heijn, has publicly apologised for a letter sent to the retailer's suppliers last month stating that a 2 per cent discount was expected on bulk purchases. The retailer said the price cut was neccessary to facilitate its expansion.
The letter was met with outrage, leading to Van der Laan's admission that it was an "error of judgment". Further negotiations are expected.
It is reported that the Dutch retailer has commissioned LTO Netherlands (Organisation for Agriculture and Horticulture) to report on pricing and margin share in the fresh food chain. However, when the letter first came to light, the LTO chairman, Jan Maat, called for an investigation into the matter by the national cartel authority, according to Distrifood. (22 Oct)
© 2012 - ESM: European Supermarket Magazine
