Many Albert Heijn store shelves left empty as distribution workers go on strike

Employees at Albert Heijn distribution centers are going on relay strikes until Wednesday. The supermarket chain expects some of its shelves to be empty from Monday, an Albert Heijn spokesperson told RTL Nieuws.

Monday’s strike halted work at two of the six Albert Heijn distribution centers. Employees at the distribution centers in Geldermalsen and Zwolle aren’t working today.

According to the Albert Heijn spokesperson, it is difficult to say which products will run out first. It may be fresh products, but many other products, like shampoo, are also processed in Geldermalsen.

The Albert Heijn distribution center workers are striking for a better collective bargaining agreement. The trade unions FNV and CNV demanded a wage increase of 14.3 percent. Albert Heijn won’t go higher than 6.6 percent.

“Albert Heijn believes that it has made a decent wage offer with a 6.6 percent increase for one year,” CNV negotiator Soraya Faez said. “But that is far too little. Last year’s inflation was 10.6 percent. Employees only received 2.75 percent in 2022.”