Egg Zoff at Lidl and Kaufland: “Regional” product in reality sham packaging

What does the term “regional” actually mean?

Eggs that are on the shelves at Lidl and Kaufland call the consumer advice center on the scene: They do not come from Germany.

Neckarsulm / Munich - If it says regional, is it regional?

The fact that this description leaves room for interpretation is shown by a case criticized by the Brandenburg Consumer Center.

Two of the largest German retail chains are affected: Lidl and Kaufland.

According to this, a product was offered in branches of the trading company that had misleading regional advertising.

In the state, the companies belonging to the Schwarz Group * offered eggs, the description of which is increasingly becoming an important purchase criterion for customers: the regional origin from supposedly local regions, instead of being imported from distant foreign countries.

Lidl and Kaufland: “Regional” eggs on offer - they come from the Netherlands

The catch with the offer at Lidl and Kaufland, however, is that a situation is promised that cannot be complied with: Although the various egg packs were advertised with the words "For our farmers", in reality the eggs come from from a laying farm in the Netherlands.

Instead of being imported from the Brandenburg area, the goods were imported from Germany's western neighbor.

In addition to the consumer advice center, the Brandenburg State Farmers' Association is also outraged, which suspects that the questionable product description will lead to a drop in sales.

+

Above Kaufland, below Lidl: the egg packaging of the two retail chains suggest regionality where none is available.

Or does it?

© VZB / Collage: Merkur.de

“We see unfair business conduct from Lidl *.

Consumers who have actually made a regional purchase decision are tempted to purchase a Dutch product due to unclear information.

In the interest of our members, we cannot accept that, ”says Denny Tumlirsch from the LBV, outraged.

The managing director told

Topagrar.com

that they would not shy away

from

filing

a lawsuit against the grocer Lidl because they recognized “unfair business conduct”.

The producer of the Kaufland range was also targeted.

On September 1, Lidl and Kaufland * should remove the corresponding egg products from their range or remove the criticized notice.

Lidl and Kaufland: eggs declared incorrectly?

Consumer advice center demands clarity

A producer of the egg products concerned allegedly refuses to change the name on the packaging, as

bw24.de *

describes.

According to him, it is by no means surprising that the terms “regional” and “our farmers” do not stand for local goods, but rather for products from all over Europe.

What sounds like a daring thesis could, however, be legally watertight: The reference to “regional” on product packaging is not legally protected.

The Brandenburg Consumer Center itself points this out by stating on its website: "The country of origin must be in the producer code - in the stamp on the egg - not on the packaging." come from (European) foreign countries.

As the VZB explains, the topic was already on the agenda before the current cases at Lidl and Kaufland.

Food law expert Annett Reinke explains: “We need clarity in advertising.

People have to be able to rely on regional information so that they can make an informed purchase decision. "

In June, six products from the Nestlé Group received the title “Sham of the Month May”.

The company uses a well-known scam *.

* Merkur.de and bw24.de are part of the IPPEN.MEDIA offer