Carrefour Halts Sale of PepsiCo Products

LEADING European supermarket chain, Carrefour, has chosen to remove popular products from its shelves.

In a bold move which will impact over 9,000 stores, Carrefour supermarkets have decided to discontinue PepsiCo products.

Their products include best-selling brands such as Pepsi, 7Up, Lay’s, Cheetos and Doritos. The decision follows claims of ‘unacceptable increases’ in their prices by the American multinational.

Price Hike Sparks Retail Reaction

As of a recent announcement, Carrefour stores in France have already started implementing this change. Plans are in place to extend this to Spain, Italy, and Belgium.

This decision impacts a significant portion of Carrefour’s global presence, which totals 14,348 stores, as per their 2022 annual report. The policy shift marks a substantial change in the retailer-consumer goods company dynamic.

Consumer And Corporate Responses

Carrefour and PepsiCo have been in negotiation for several months. In response to Carrefour’s decision, PepsiCo stated, ‘We have been in discussions with Carrefour for many months and will continue to work in good faith to ensure the availability of our products.’

The outcome of these discussions and the future availability of PepsiCo products in Carrefour remains uncertain.

A recent visit to a Carrefour supermarket in Paris revealed that some PepsiCo products, like Cheetos and 7Up, were already missing. However, Pepsi remained available, complete with an explanatory sign. This scenario reflects the evolving consumer goods landscape, where price sensitivity is becoming increasingly prominent.

One customer commented: ‘It doesn’t surprise me at all. I think there will be a lot of products left on the shelves because they have become too expensive, and they are things we can avoid buying.’

Her statement echoes a growing sentiment among consumers regarding the rising cost of everyday items.

Carrefour’s Price Conscious Campaign

Carrefour has been notably proactive in addressing price issues with major consumer product companies. In September last year, it launched a ‘shrinkflation’ campaign to highlight products from companies such as Lindt and Lipton products, that have reduced in size but increased in price.