Haribo and Lidl reconcile after year-long delisting

After a dispute that lasted for more than a year, Lidl is able to sell Haribo sweets again. The hard discount retailer lost some ground in the confectionery category due to the dispute.

Private label could not compensate

Confectionery manufacturer Haribo and Lidl resumed their business relationship, German trade magazine Lebensmittel Zeitung reports. The market leader in the fruit gum category lets its sweets quietly return to the discounter’s shelves after being absent there for a year. The manufacturer stopped worldwide deliveries in April 2023 after disagreements over purchasing conditions, but now both trading partners have finally reached an agreement.

Lidl compensated for the disappearance of the confectionery brand with its private label Sweet Corner, but that was not quite enough. According to market research, sales growth in the confectionery category at Lidl in the twelve months to February 2024 was more than two percentage points lower than the development of the overall market. Haribo competitor Katjes did manage to benefit from the loss of the market leader.