In the ongoing strawberry controversy between Spain and Germany, a wave of environmental concern rose to the surface in late April when Ökotest published warnings about the environmental impact of early-season strawberries. The magazine highlighted episodes that underscored how irregular watering practices could threaten Doñana National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Doñana case, set against a backdrop of drought across southern Europe, dominated public discourse for several days. Teresa Ribera, the Second Vice-President of the Government and Minister of Ecological Transition, shared cautions online, while successive trips to Brussels, Berlin, and other European capitals were framed as aligning with the European Commission’s stance on the matter. [citation: Ökotest; European Commission statements]
2nd campaign
On May 30, a prominent online platform mobilized a campaign calling major supermarket chains Lidl, Rewe, Aldi, and Edeka to halt the sale of dried strawberries. The initiative, which attracted around 150,000 subscribers, carried limited reach but gained momentum in the days following the local and regional elections in Spain. The timing coincided with the announcement that Spain’s general elections would be postponed to July 23, a decision announced by Pedro Sánchez. Mutual accusations quickly flared between the central government and the Andalucía regional government under the leadership of the People’s Party, amplifying tensions across political lines. [citation: campaign platform; Spanish electoral timeline]
3. Supermarkets
Spanish strawberries were already retreating from German shelves as the season progressed. Typically, as soon as German harvests begin, imports from abroad thin out toward the end of May. When German farmers face a late harvest, quotas are sometimes reserved to protect local producers. This practice was explained by Rewe and others in response to inquiries from Spanish media while in Germany. Store announcements stressed that red strawberries lacking a Spring certificate indicate no guarantee of water-management efficiency from the producer. Aldi Germany reiterated that there is no boycott of Spanish strawberries and reaffirmed its commitment to producers who use water responsibly. [citation: Rewe statements; Aldi commitments]
4. Deputies
A delegation of nine members from the Bundestag, led by Green politician Harald Ebner and including representatives from across the full political spectrum, announced a trip to Doñana last Friday, amid questions about a so-called strawberry war. The group framed the mission around water scarcity and consumer protection, noting that Spain has faced five consecutive years of drought and that reservoir levels are well below the average of the past decade. Officials stated that the visit was not tied to the election campaign and had been planned since late May ahead of the July elections. Among the delegations were members from the governing coalition as well as opposition figures from conservative, liberal, and other parties. [citation: Bundestag statement; Ebner remarks]
5. Withdrawal
The parliamentary delegation departed on Sunday, but the Andalusian portion of the trip was suspended the following Monday. A brief Bundestag statement cited the trip’s political relevance ahead of the general election as the reason for cancellation. Observers noted that what might have been a routine inspection arranged with the Andalusian regional government grew unusually politicized. German media coverage reflected a broader concern that this dispute, framed as a consumer issue, could have ripple effects on cross-border trade. Campact, a German advocacy group, added nearly 14,000 subscribers within a week, reaching a total of 164,000 in a country of 83.7 million. That number was still far from its stated target of 200,000. [citation: Süddeutsche Zeitung; Campact metrics]