A German volunteer platform called Campact sparked what some dubbed the “strawberry war,” rallying the Andalusian countryside against a perceived boycott by one of Europe’s leading powers. The immediate effects appeared minor, but the timing hit a nerve in the election campaign that began on July 23. Campact’s influence, with roughly 159,000 followers on Twitter in a country of 83 million, didn’t translate into a broad German consumer movement, and opinions in Germany about boycotts were mixed. In Spain, reactions spanned from accusations by the government of Pedro Sánchez against the Andalucía regional government of Juanma Moreno to statements by the Andalusian Strawberry and Red Fruit Interprofessional Association, which called the German campaign “insidious and damaging.”
The origin of the campaign traced back to another online petition platform, change.org, which last Tuesday urged Germany’s major supermarket chains—Edeka, Lidl, Aldi, and Rewe—not to contribute to the drying of Doñana National Park. The platform periodically promotes campaigns, sometimes targeting political opponents, other times raising concerns about pesticides and labor practices in other contexts.
In German supermarkets, there has not yet been a visible disruption. Local produce remains available, including Brandenburg strawberries from the Berlin region, alongside imports from Belgium, Spain, Turkey, and Morocco. The Brandenburg strawberry has a loyal regional following, and harvests can begin earlier in the season, affecting street stalls and supply chains that year.
There was a response from the retail sector in Spain via a statement indicating they would work only with producers who use water sensibly. The Interprofessional Association for Fruit and Vegetable Producers in Spain (Interfresa) has sent letters to the public administration and distribution chains expressing concern about the situation created by the campaign.
Let’s safeguard Doñana—echoes from a Spanish deputy minister urging protection for the area. The German phrase echoed in the campaign called attention to the Doñana wetlands as a global natural heritage site, urging a pause on sales that could jeopardize the ecosystem. The campaign’s message was amplified on social media with criticisms directed at major German retailers and a call for action if even the Spanish government signals a ban on selling Spanish strawberries.
Campact’s May 2023 message urged a stop to what it described as water misusage for cheap strawberries, arguing that inexpensive Spanish fruit in German stores risks Doñana’s status as a national treasure. The campaign urged big chains like Edeka, Lidl, and Rewe to reconsider their purchasing policies and warned that political leaders in Spain were watching closely, raising questions about expectations placed on retailers by public opinion.
Campact’s current push against the Huelva strawberry network isn’t the first of its kind. Past years have seen similar warnings issued whenever Spanish strawberries entered German markets. This time, attention intensified shortly after Spain’s local and regional elections opened and a general election in Spain was pushed to July 23.
Doñana, a symbol of desertification
The campaign may have passed unnoticed by many German shoppers, but the Doñana name and issues around drought and irrigation have longstanding roots in media reporting. Public television and other major German outlets have covered concerns about drought and desertification in Southern Europe, with some images showing stressed rivers like the Rhine and Loire as evidence of climate strain reaching broader parts of Europe.
In prior coverage, people cited the Junta de Andalucía’s plans to chart its own path while sometimes clashing with European Commission guidance, and warnings from Teresa Ribera, Spain’s Minister for the Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, about the stance of the Moreno government. Sánchez’s administration has continued dialogues with Brussels, Stockholm, and Berlin, positioning climate discussions within the EU Presidency and COP28 planning, which aims to address global sustainability challenges.
Among the counterarguments, supporters of the strawberry industry emphasize its environmental commitments. They point to ongoing research and sustainable farming practices in Huelva, noting that strawberry cultivation and related fruit production account for a meaningful portion of the regional economy, employing tens of thousands of people directly and many more indirectly. Farms located near Doñana are situated at a distance of roughly 35 kilometers from the protected area, a fact cited to illustrate the industry’s proximity to sensitive landscapes while maintaining environmental stewardship.