After months of fruitless debate, The main supermarket in Spain fully into its strategy. extraordinary measures to reduce the impact inflation in the consumer’s pocket. Mercadona announced this Wednesday that it will lower the price of 500 products that it has begun to detect about some cost restraint. The chain will take on this discount already by the end of the year, a decision similar to that announced by other major companies. distribution chains in the last weeks
In this way, the Government led by Yolanda Díaz, the second vice president in this case, is fulfilling one of the demands it has put on the table from the beginning: reduction VAT certain food products, large supermarket chains will reduce their prices as much as possible. First Vice President Nadia Kalvinoalso sent repeated messages to distribution companies for the same purpose. Chains, for their part, have always argued that this is a cost crisis and therefore there is no benefit (and may even be counterproductive) for only one part of the chain to lower prices.
In fact, the general situation of the sector so far was that these companies have been around for months. forcing margins And increase the number of bids do their part to solve the problem.
But, eros (and consequently also caprabo) In mid-March, he broke the trend by launching a campaign to lower the price of up to 1,000 items. Catalan chain bonpreu announced that it has implemented a measure for three months that will refund 5% of fresh meat and fish prices to its customers at the end of the month. same Tuesday, Day It announced that it will invest 15% more this year compared to the previous year (150 million euros) to increase the number of promotions and discounts in its businesses.
And now, Mercadonafocused on design internal cost strategies In order not to raise shamelessly, it took the stage with the sale of 500 products.
the importance of the measure
This decision transcends for several reasons. First, because it’s Spain’s leading chain with what it has ability to drag others Similar decisions, especially given that one of the peculiarities of the Spanish market is that there are so many players that it is very difficult to compete if one of them deviates from normal prices. Second, because this supermarket never gives discounts or special offers, because the company policy is to always sell at the lowest possible price. Third, because its owner and chairman, Juan RoigHe took a clear position a few weeks ago against artificially lowering food prices.
The problem, according to the Valencia company statement, is that the group has detected that the costs associated with this product line are starting to fall and has decided to “pre-empty” this decrease and adjust the final selling price. they talk about protections like Danubesome dairy products such as cheeses And yogurts, Hazelnut, oils, cleaning and care products for the home, pastries, perfumery… and a few fresh foodwill be identified by a special tag.
“The initiative carried out and guaranteed without touching the quality of the products” sustainability of the entire food chain [uno de los argumentos que blandió Roig para negarse a una cesta de la compra de precio topado]“This will mean savings of 200 million euros for customers from now until the end of the year.” According to his calculations, this is a margin effect 0.6 points from the company.
Other strategies
In any case, Mercadona isn’t the only chain that has decided to do something like this to help lower the final price of the shopping cart.
Eroski / Caprabo
Amid the debate over whether the Spanish Government will support a deal with supermarket chains like the one announced in France, Eroski announced that it will invest 12m euros to launch a campaign that includes lowering the price of up to 1,000 products. . . called him’basket in love‘ came into effect in mid-March and the measure will be in effect through 2023.
bonpreu
The Catalan chain announced at the end of March that it will subsidize 5% of its customer’s spending for three months. meat And fresh fish, VAT exempt foods. The supermarket announced that it plans to set aside 2m euros for this measure, which processes registered customers who buy meat or fish to return 5 percent of the money they spend on these products to their customer cards.
Day
This distribution company also announced this week that it will increase its investment in campaigns and discounts last year to help the consumer’s pocket. Thus, Dia will invest 150 million euros. promotions Up to 30% discount on more than 100 products fresh. This plan also includes increasing loyalty to own branded products.