Aldi’s banana price cut denounced

Aldi’s decision to cut its banana buying price for 2021 has led to a backlash among producers. Costa Rica’s association of independent banana producers (Aproban) stated that the retailer’s actions will worsen the lives of producers and benefit the most privileged. The association said it categorically rejects Aldi’s unilaterally lowering of the purchase price by €0.06/kg, taking the box price down to €11.33 as of January 2021. As the biggest banana purchaser in Europe, Aldi’s price is effectively used as reference for the entire European market.

A statement from Aproban said:

“National producers are committed and comply with the environmental, social, economic and sustainability requirements and demands of the European market, supermarket chains and consumers. This situation that implies greater investment and greater weight than the rest of the actors in the value chain, which is why these types of unilateral decisions impact Costa Rican producers, who see their costs increase and the price paid for their fruit decreased.”

It is feared that Aldi’s actions will promote lower social and environmental standards and result in increased poverty.

The statement continued:

“In times of crisis like the one we live, with hunger at the doors of many homes, these actions worsen the lives of many, so we respectfully oppose this Aldi decision that would harm banana production, the country’s economy and the creation of jobs that this activity generates.”