Heineken drags Jumbo to court because supermarket chain purchases less beer

Beer brewer Heineken has filed summary proceedings against supermarket chain Jumbo. The companies confirm this after reporting in the FD and AD. According to Heineken ‘Boycot’ Jumbo the beer brewer by buying less and that results in empty shelves. The beer brewer demands that the supermarket chain will take more beer and sell more beer.

Jumbo does indeed say that he will catch up with Heineken, because the beer brewer requires too high prices. “Jumbo has the goal of keeping prices for Heineken products low for customers.” Jumbo does not do that on his own, the step is part of an international campaign by purchasing organization Everest. Jumbo has been affiliated with this since 2023.

“Recently, Everest and its partners have decided to purchase fewer Heineken products for the time being because they find the purchasing prices that Heineken demands too high.” At Everest there are also the German supermarket chain Edeka and Auchan from France.

Supermarket chains and major brands regularly argue about the purchase price. That often leads to empty shelves. Earlier this year there were empty coffee shelves, because the parent company Van Douwe Egberts had a fight about the prize with Jumbo and Albert Heijn.

But it does not happen so often that such a conflict leads to a lawsuit over the price. In this case, Heineken believes that the judge must consider it. “The decision of Jumbo to no longer order a large part of our product range goes directly against the agreements we have made with each other. Jumbo has been an important partner for many years. In addition, the parties adhere to agreements made.”

Whether Heineken has a point must be apparent on 22 May, the judge will rule.