[Analysis] Coffee dispute between Douwe Egberts and supermarkets has only one winner

Rarely do we find out the outcome of a buying dispute between retailers and brand owners. That is blatantly different in the recent dispute between JDE Peet’s and a series of European supermarkets: the manufacturer is simply pushing its will.

Back against the wall

After months of boycotts, the products of coffee and tea producer JDE Peet’s, with brands such as Douwe Egberts, Senseo and Pickwick, are back on shop shelves at Colruyt, Jumbo and Picnic – but not (yet) at Ahold Delhaize and German Edeka. Although the retailers reached an agreement after difficult negotiations, they make no secret of the fact that it was anything but wholehearted.