RetailDetail reports that the Dutch retail group Ahold Delhaize is joining Eurelec, the purchasing alliance founded by Rewe and E.Leclerc. From 2025, the three European retail giants will start purchasing together to address European price differences.

"Keeping food affordable"

The retail alliance landscape is changing rapidly: a few days after the announcement that Jumbo is joining the Epic and Everest purchasing alliances, both founded by the German market leader Edeka, comes the news that Ahold Delhaize will become the third member of Eurelec.

This alliance was founded in 2016 by the French market leader E.Leclerc and the German number two Rewe. Together, the three retailers represent net sales of 155 billion euros.

Following approval by competition authorities, preparations will begin in 2024, and joint procurement in 2025, according to a press release.

Clear agenda

Eurelec's agenda is clear: Like Everest, this alliance aims to address price differences for identical products in different EU member states.

"We have experienced price differences between European countries that cannot be objectively explained, apart from the fact that some producers sell exactly the same product at different prices in EU countries," says Wouter Kolk, CEO of Ahold Delhaize Europe & Indonesia.

"We owe it to our consumers to keep food affordable in these challenging times and to provide them with access to a true European single market."

Note: Ahold Delhaize was already affiliated with E.Leclerc and Rewe in the Coopernic purchasing hub, which also includes Coop Italia.

Additionally, the newly formed group is a member of the AMS purchasing alliance, which includes Migros, ICA, Morrisons, Musgrave, and Kesko. Each of these alliances has a different objective: AMS purchases private labels, Coopernic negotiates "top" conditions with brand manufacturers.