Aldi, Rewe and Co: Price increases cause customer anger – “Incredible, outrageous and disgusting”

Created: 04/04/2022, 14:14

By: Magdalena von Zumbusch

Drastic price increases: In German retail, prices went up a second time as a result of the Ukraine war.

(Iconic image) © FrankHoermann/Imago

With the renewed price increases from April 4th, German households have to spend around 242 euros more per month.

But on Twitter they don't take it that seriously.

Munich – Food prices, which are already high, have risen sharply since Russian troops invaded Ukraine at the end of February.

In particular, staple foods such as grain products, butter or vegetable oil, but also meat, are becoming more and more expensive.

According to scenario calculations by the auditing and consulting company PwC Germany based on current figures from the Federal Statistical Office and the Ifo Institute, the additional costs of the increased prices for an average German household since the beginning of the war amount to up to 242 euros a month, reports the German Press Agency .

The price increases burden households with almost 3,000 euros per year.

Around 25 percent of households can hardly compensate for the additional costs, according to the PwC study.

Nevertheless, one does not spoil the mood on Twitter.

The renewed wave of inflation is treated with humor.

Since the Ukraine war: "Liquid Gold" and other luxury products from discounters

At Rewe, a ten-liter canister of rapeseed oil currently costs 54.99 euros, according to a user's image.

"I don't know if it's possible for a Rewe store to set its own prices!?

The photo seems real," he writes.

Next to it is the hashtag “Liquid Gold”.

At Aldi, a liter of sunflower oil currently costs 4.99 euros according to another user's photo.

"Incredible, outrageous and disgusting," he tweeted.

A pack of flour from the discounter Aldi Nord from the “Goldstaub” brand was also posted.

Ukraine and Russia were important wheat suppliers to Germany, so the war in Ukraine had a major impact on flour prices.

"They have a sense of humor in the company that supplies Aldi Nord!" This is the quote about the flour brand.

Are the discount chains pocketing some of the price increases?

Some users ask whether the supermarket chains are also using people's general expectation that prices will rise due to the war in Europe to achieve higher profits.

"No, it can't be that the Aldi families add more than just rising production costs to fill the bag further," says a Twitter user.

Video: Which app can help you save on grocery shopping

3 euros more Hartz IV in view of the price development since the war: "What luck"

Another Twitter user addresses the discussion about the increase in the standard rate in his post: "Aldi and others will increase their prices for basic groceries from Monday.

What 'luck' that HartzIV was increased by 3 euros at the beginning of the year...”.

The rule sets for Hartz IV support would have to be raised, he demands with the hashtag "Anpassen rule set".

A user would not like to meet the traders only with cynicism

A third user would like to let off steam and finds that Aldi actually belongs to "a carpenter".

This is probably not meant very seriously, but the assumption behind it is probably again that the owners of the food giants are enriching themselves with the current situation and are not just passing on the increased purchasing and transport costs.

Despite the humor: Not a funny situation for many Germans

Although most of the AfD on Twitter try not to lose their sense of humor, the situation is currently difficult for many Germans.

People react to price increases by making more use of special offers (58 percent) and choosing cheaper private labels (39 percent), according to the PwC study.

A good one in four (27 percent) goes to the discounter for certain products.

Almost as many (24 percent) practice doing without - and buy less of certain products, especially less meat.

These are the results of the study by PwC Germany in cooperation with the crowdsourcing market research company POSpulse by surveying around 1000 people aged 18 and over in Germany.