Heineken has filed a lawsuit against Dutch supermarket chain Jumbo, accusing the retailer of an unlawful boycott after sharply reducing its beer orders. The dispute, which has left visible gaps on supermarket shelves, centers on what Jumbo calls "bizarre" and excessive prices for Heineken products in the Netherlands compared to neighboring countries like Germany and France.
The conflict is rooted in price negotiations between Jumbo and purchasing alliance Everest, which includes several European retailers such as Germany’s Edeka and France’s Auchan. Since 2023, Jumbo has been a member of Everest, and the group collectively decided to reduce their orders of Heineken products due to what they consider unreasonably high purchasing costs.
Despite the tension, Jumbo denies a full boycott, stating it has merely scaled back its purchases temporarily. “We aim to keep Heineken prices low for our customers,” said Wibo van Wijk, head of purchasing at Jumbo, emphasizing this is a commercial decision and not a breach of contract.
Heineken claims the reduced orders violate existing agreements and impact its distribution of key brands such as Amstel, Birra Moretti, and Desperados, which are reportedly understocked in Jumbo stores. The brewer argues that international pricing differences stem from varying local conditions across its 50 European breweries, including labor, raw material costs, and regulatory differences, as explained by company lawyer Thom Beukers.
Adding complexity to the dispute, online supermarket Picnic—also part of Everest—continues to receive Heineken at lower prices. Heineken maintains that Picnic’s lack of physical stores reduces promotional and distribution costs, justifying a different pricing model.
While pricing conflicts between large retailers and manufacturers are not uncommon, legal proceedings remain rare. A similar situation involving Douwe Egberts coffee and Dutch supermarkets earlier this year did not escalate to court. This time, however, Heineken is seeking a court order to compel Jumbo to resume previous purchasing levels. The case is scheduled for a ruling on May 22.
