Disputes over pricing and productions costs are not limited to pet food
A number of popular pet foods and snacks including Whiskas, Pedigree and Dreamies have reportedly been shelved at Tesco following a dispute over pricing.
Mars has stopped supplying six brands to the supermarket, which also includes IAMS, Sheba and Crave, but has not said why, LadBible reported.
Tesco shoppers have commented on social media about pet food prices rising, with one writing on Twitter: “Tesco ‘every little helps’ Whiskas 12 pack has gone up from £3.29 to £4.50. Inflation of 36%.”
A Mars spokesperson said it was aware that some of its Petcare products are currently out of stock at Tesco stores but added that “they remain widely available in the UK marketplace”.
“There are many reasons why our products may be out of stock in certain stores from time to time,” the spokesperson said, adding that it could not comment on “individual commercial relationships or situations”.
Tesco has said with household budgets under increasing pressure, “now more than ever we have a responsibility to ensure customers get the best possible value, and we will not pass on unjustifiable price increases to our customers”.
A spokesperson said Tesco is “sorry that this means some products aren’t available right now, but we have plenty of alternatives to choose from and we hope to have this issue resolved soon”.
Re: Tesco & Mars Pet:
Gaps definitely opening up on shelf, with the labels indicating no stock arriving to store until 23rd July.
All on Mars brands – Cesar, Whiskas & Pedigree. pic.twitter.com/u7787qVqBZ
— Steve Dresser (@dresserman) July 4, 2022
The move comes days after some Heinz products were missing off the shelves at Tesco due to another disagreement over pricing and rising production costs. Kraft Heinz, which owns Heinz, is working with Tesco to resolve the issue.
The Grocer last week reported there were a number of items out of stock in Tesco stores and online. These included: Baked Beans & Pork Sausages 200g, Salad Cream, Salad Cream Light 605g and Heinz Cream Of Tomato Soup Mug Size 300G.
A Tesco spokesperson said at the time: “We’re laser-focused on keeping the cost of the weekly shop in check, offering customers great value through our combination of Aldi Price Match, Low Everyday Prices and Clubcard Prices.
“With household budgets under increasing pressure, now more than ever we have a responsibility to ensure customers get the best possible value, and we will not pass on unjustifiable price increases to our customers.
“We’re sorry that this means some products aren’t available right now, but we have plenty of alternatives to choose from and we hope to have this issue resolved soon.”
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