European Supermarket Chain Carrefour Removes PepsiCo Products from Shelves Over “Unacceptable” Price Hikes

In a bold move, European supermarket giant Carrefour has decided to remove PepsiCo products from its store shelves due to what it deems as “unacceptable” price hikes. This decision comes as other major companies in the industry have also expressed concerns over rising prices. With over 12,000 stores worldwide, Carrefour has started clearing out popular PepsiCo items such as Pepsi and 7 Up sodas, Lipton tea, Quaker foods, as well as Doritos and Lays chips from its stores in France, Italy, Spain, and Belgium.

A spokesperson for Carrefour informed The Wall Street Journal that the supermarket chain has placed warning notes on its shelves to explain the reason behind this drastic change. This move is not an isolated incident, as Carrefour had previously raised concerns about the cost of food products and had added price warnings in September in an attempt to pressure manufacturers into reducing their costs. The company even went as far as labeling the affected products with tags that read: "This product has seen its volume or weight fall and the effective price by the supplier rise."

Michel-Edouard Leclerc, the CEO of rival supermarket chain E. Leclerc, also took to LinkedIn to express his grievances over the price hikes from suppliers. In a translated post, Leclerc stated, "We must therefore convince in the coming month all these major suppliers who made the mistake of increasing their prices too much, to lower them now, or to moderate them. We must return to more reasonable, more transparent, and better spread out impacts of their costs."

Carrefour has been engaged in discussions with PepsiCo for several months, and the company claims to be negotiating in "good faith" to ensure that PepsiCo's products remain available to its customers. However, PepsiCo has yet to respond to FOX Business' request for comment on the matter.

This clash between Carrefour and PepsiCo highlights the growing tension between supermarkets and suppliers over rising costs. As consumers continue to face economic challenges, it is crucial for major companies to find a balance that allows them to maintain affordable prices while also ensuring fair compensation for their products. The outcome of these negotiations will not only impact the availability of PepsiCo products in Carrefour stores but may also set a precedent for future pricing disputes within the industry.