Dutch supermarkets increasingly suffer from cross-border shopping

Price differences are increasingly driving Dutch consumers across the border, especially for fuel, personal care products, and everyday groceries. Even retailers that aren’t located right on the border are feeling the impact more and more.

Crossing the border for a single bargain

Dutch consumers are shopping more often in Belgium and Germany because of price differences. This is according to a study by Kieskompas and Panteia commissioned by MKB-Nederland, VNO-NCW, and various industry organizations. In Dutch border municipalities, 72% of consumers make a special trip to Belgium or Germany at least once a month to shop. Across the Netherlands as a whole, that figure is nearly 20%.