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The price of raw milk has fallen, and dairy products are now becoming cheaper again in supermarkets
Photograph:
Sebastian Kahnert / dpa
Prices for dairy products are slipping again in Germany. The discounter Aldi announced on Tuesday that it would permanently reduce prices for over 50 dairy products such as milk, cream or yoghurt by up to 15 percent from Wednesday. For example, the price of a litre of UHT milk or fresh whole milk from the Milsani brand is to be reduced from 1.15 euros to 99 cents. According to a press release, more than 350 dairy products will be cheaper at Kaufland from Wednesday because raw material prices have fallen. Edeka and Netto Marken-Discount also announced that they would reduce prices for dairy products "to a comparable extent".
The move does not come as a surprise. The trade journal "Lebensmittel Zeitung" had already reported last week that the prices for dairy products had come under renewed pressure in the negotiations of the trade with the dairies. There are signs of renewed price reductions for drinking milk and other standard items of the White Line," the paper wrote.
It should only be a matter of time before the rest of the trade follows the price reduction. This is because dairy products are considered to be basic price items that customers use as a guide for a retailer's price perception.
However, it is uncertain how long consumers will benefit from the price reductions. According to the "Lebensmittel Zeitung", dairies expect prices to rise again from autumn. We are heading for an undersupply," the paper quoted the chairman of the dairy industry association (MIV), Peter Stahl, as saying. According to the report, Mathias Hauer, Chairman of the Management Board of Sachsenmilch Leppersdorf, also expects a trend reversal in milk prices for the second half of the year.
ktz/dpa