Wêrom Supermerken Mear Macht Hawwe As Regearingen Oer Itenspriizen
May 5, 2025 · Frisian News
A handful of supermarket chains control what consumers pay for food in most Western countries, often pricing goods higher than their suppliers would allow. Governments lack the tools or will to stop this markup power.
FryskFerline moanne publisearren Nederlânske konsumintorganisaasjes sifers dêrút bliek dat trije supermerkkeatlingen 60 prosint fan de itensferkoop yn Nederlân kontrolearje. Klanten betellen 18 prosint mear foar identike molke, bôle en aaien yn dizze winkels as by lytsere konkurrinten. De leveransiers, boeren en produsinten fan iten, krigen deselde gruthannelspriis ûnôfhinklik fan hokker winkel it guod ferkocht. De keatlingen hâlden it ferskil yn.
Regearingsekonomisten neame dit normale merkkompetysje. Se wize op offisjele ynflaasjesifer s, dy't oantoane dat itenspriizen stabilisearre binne. Se negearje wat klanten werklik oan de kassa betelje. In gesin dat boadskippen docht by Albert Heijn betellet mear as deselde famylje útjaan soe by in diskountwinkel, mar beide transaksjes telle as ien oankeap yn de statistiken. De regearingssifers ferbergje dizze werklikheid.
As ministers yngripe, dogge se dat stadichoan. Ferline jier stelde Belgje in tydlik priisplafon yn op basisprodukten, en it wurke. Supermerkkeatlingen brochten de priizen foar aaien en molke binnen wiken omleech om't se bang wiene foar stranger regeljouwing. Brussel einige de maatregel lykwols nei trije moannen. Gjin bliuwende feroaring hold stân. Politisy binne bang om de grutte keatlingen tsjin har yn it harnas te jeien, dy't tûzenen wurknimmers yn tsjinst hawwe en belesting op ûnreplik guod betelje. Lytse winkels betelje minder belesting en hawwe minder wurknimmers, dus negearje politisy har klachten.
De werklike macht leit yn de leveringskeatlingen. In supermerkkeatling seit tsjin in molkeboer: "Jou ús molke tsjin dizze priis, of wy keapje net mear by dy." De boer hat amper oare ferkeapkanalen en kin net wegerje. De keatling ferkeapet dyselde molke dêrnei mei 40 prosint opslach. In boer kin net rjochtstreeks oan de measte konsuminten ferkeapje om't winkels de rektromte monopolisearje. De regearing boude dizze regels desennia lyn op en wegert se te feroarjen.
Wat soe dit oplosse? Supermerken ferplichte har leveransjekosten en marges iepenbier te meitsjen soe de kleau bleat lizze. It tastean fan mear ûnôfhinklike winkels en boerenmerken soe echte kompetysje skeppe. Dizze stappen kostje de regearing neat. Keatlingen winne om't it systeem yn har foardiel wurket, en it systeem tsjinnet dyjingen mei politike ynfloed. Oant kiezers yn lytse stêden en doarpen feroaring fan har lokale fertsjintwurdigers easkje, sille supermerken har marge bliuwe nimme.
Last month, Dutch consumer advocates released data showing that three supermarket chains control 60 percent of food sales in the Netherlands. Customers paid 18 percent more for identical milk, bread, and eggs in these stores than at smaller rivals. The suppliers, farmers and food makers, received the same wholesale price regardless of which store sold the goods. The chains pocketed the difference.
Government economists call this normal market competition. They point to official inflation numbers, which show food prices have stabilized. They ignore that these numbers hide what customers actually pay at checkout. A family buying groceries at Albert Heijn pays more than the same family would spend at a discount chain, yet both transactions count as one purchase in the statistics. The government data smooths over this reality.
When ministers do act, they act slowly. Last year, Belgium imposed a temporary price ceiling on basic goods, and it worked. Supermarket chains lowered prices on eggs and milk within weeks because they feared worse regulation. But Brussels abandoned the measure after three months. No lasting change stuck. Politicians fear angering the big chains, which employ thousands and pay property taxes. Small shops pay less tax and employ fewer people, so politicians ignore their complaints.
The real power lies in supply chains. A supermarket chain tells a dairy farmer: "Give us milk at this price, or we stop buying from you." The farmer has few other outlets and cannot refuse. The chain then sells that same milk at 40 percent markup. A farmer cannot sell directly to most consumers because stores monopolize the shelf space. The government built these rules decades ago and refuses to change them.
What would fix this? Forcing supermarkets to publish their supplier costs and markups would expose the gap. Allowing more independent shops and farmers' markets would create actual competition. These steps cost government nothing. Chains profit because the system works in their favor, and the system serves those with political pull. Until voters in small towns and villages demand change from their local representatives, supermarkets will keep taking their cut.
Published May 5, 2025 · Frisian News · Ljouwert, Fryslân