Super-Sol, Israel’s largest supermarket chain, is removing Unilever products from its shelves in an attempt to squeeze better terms of trade.
Super-Sol was prompted to employ tough bargaining tactics after it received a negative response from Unilever Israel CEO Moti Keren about increasing Super-Sol’s profits at Unilever’s expense.
Trade sources in Tel Aviv maintain that the increased demands made on manufacturers “were actually being made to finance its ILS1bn (US$218m) purchase of Clubmarket,” a rival supermarket chain.
Unilever said it was negotiating with Super-Sol to achieve an agreement for the benefit of consumers, while Super-Sol said: “We do not comment on our company’s relations with its suppliers.”
In protest, suppliers threaten to ask the anti trust commissioner to declare Super-Sol a monopoly.
