PepsiCo, Monday, disputed Carrefour's account of what led to the discontinuation of its products on Carrefour's shelves. The CPG giant indicated that it was responsible for the split, and had voluntarily halted the sale of its PepsiCo and Frito-Lay products at the chain after not reaching an agreement on a new contract, reports The Wall Street Journal.
“Regrettably, Carrefour has mischaracterized the chain of events,” a PepsiCo spokesman said. “Given the lack of agreement on a new contract, we stopped supplying to Carrefour at the end of the year, something they were aware could happen. We hope we can agree on terms soon so our products can be back on their shelves for consumers to enjoy.”
As a rebuttal, Carrefour replied Monday: “We, at the Carrefour Group, have taken this decision.”
Last Thursday, a spokesperson for the French-owned grocer said that, throughout France, Italy, Spain, and Belgium, it will no longer sell items such as Lay’s, Doritos, Cheetos, Benenuts snacks, Alvalle gazpacho, Lipton teas, Pepsi and 7 Up beverages, and Quaker foods products.
Carrefour also posted notes on store shelves stating that it is not carrying the brands because of dramatic price increases.
PepsiCo; however, said Monday that it decided to stop supplying the chain’s European stores because the two sides had not reached an agreement on a new contract.
The PepsiCo spokesperson said the negotiations with the retailer extend beyond pricing.
“Consumer pricing and consumer loyalty are things we think about constantly,” he said. “However, we cannot sustain customer relationships which are no longer profitable.” Full Story (Subscription Required)
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