Dutch supermarkets prove cheaper than Belgian, contrary to politicians’ claims

Dutch supermarkets are not more expensive than Belgian ones, despite recent claims by politicians Pieter Omtzigt and Jesse Klaver. A detailed investigation by Follow the Money, based on a comprehensive price comparison of over 11,000 identical products at Albert Heijn stores in both countries, found that Belgian shoppers pay on average 2.75 percent more than Dutch consumers.

This finding contradicts Omtzigt’s repeated public complaints earlier this year, where he accused Dutch supermarkets of exploiting consumers with high prices. Omtzigt, who recently stepped down as leader of Nieuw Sociaal Contract (NSC), used examples like a jar of apple sauce priced at 2.09 euros in the Netherlands versus 89 euro cents in Belgium to support his claim. He appeared before the Dutch parliamentary Economic Affairs committee in April with such products to argue that basic food items were excessively expensive in the Netherlands. Klaver of GroenLinks joined Omtzigt, citing, for instance, sunscreen prices that are three times higher in the Netherlands.

However, the new research undermines this narrative. Using an automated script, IT specialist Sjoerd van der Hoorn collected a dataset of 28,762 current prices from Albert Heijn Netherlands and 16,623 from Albert Heijn Belgium, including advertised discounts and offers. The comparison focused on 11,469 identical products—same brand, size, and packaging—available in both countries.

The data reveal that Dutch supermarkets have significantly more promotional discounts, with 18 percent of products on sale in the Netherlands compared to only 8 percent in Belgium. This high level of offers means Dutch shoppers benefit from more frequent price reductions, offsetting the higher Dutch VAT rate of 9 percent, compared to Belgium’s 6 percent.

Laurens Sloot, retail professor at Nyenrode Business University, explained to Follow the Money, “Dutch consumers are deal hunters and supermarkets respond to that. This makes a significant difference on the final receipt.” He added that some categories, such as drugstore items, have over half of products on promotion. For example, at Albert Heijn Netherlands, 53 percent of 1,862 drugstore products were discounted.

Follow the Money’s figures show that purchasing all 11,469 products at once would cost 40,314.94 euros in the Netherlands, but 41,425.30 euros in Belgium, a difference of 1,110.36 euros, or 2.75 percent in favor of the Netherlands. This aligns with Eurostat data from the European Union. Belgian experts confirm similar conclusions: Els Breugelmans, a marketing professor at KU Leuven, told Follow the Money that Belgium’s Finance Ministry monitors supermarket prices and finds the Netherlands cheaper for A-brands, while Belgium is cheaper for private labels.

Price differences vary by category. Vegetables, potatoes, bread, and soup cost about 9 percent less in the Netherlands. Fruit, beer, pasta, and cold cuts are around 5 percent cheaper. Belgium is about 6 percent less expensive for coffee, soft drinks, household, and health products such as protein drinks.

When excluding discounts and only comparing regular prices, Belgium remains about 1 percent more expensive, showing the impact of Dutch promotions.

The most expensive item at Albert Heijn Netherlands was a Philips espresso machine at 499 euros, while among foods, a vacuum-packed beef tenderloin weighing over 1.5 kilograms was priced at 95.98 euros. Saffron by Verstegen was the most expensive by weight, costing 33,800 euros per kilogram. On the low end, sweeteners for coffee sold for just 8 cents each.

Omtzigt’s complaints also extended to deodorants at Etos, where he compared a 2.15 euros price in Germany to 5.49 euros in the Netherlands. However, the deodorant at Etos was actually on a “2+3 free” offer, effectively costing 2.20 euros per unit, nearly the same as in Germany.

Supermarket executives have strongly pushed back against the accusations. Tom Heidman, CEO of Jumbo, said, “The retail sector is unfairly portrayed as greedy, and that hurts us deeply.” Albert Heijn representatives in the parliamentary discussion emphasized the need for comprehensive price comparisons, looking at the entire shopping basket rather than individual items.

The steep rise in food prices over recent years is undisputed. Statistics Netherlands (CBS) shows that prices for food and non-alcoholic beverages increased by 30 percent in five years. Rising energy, transportation, and labor costs, plus more expensive raw materials, have driven this inflation. However, supermarket profit margins have remained flat or declined. Albert Heijn’s profit margin is around 4 percent, while Jumbo’s is below 1 percent.

In a conversation with Follow the Money, Laurens Sloot summarized the situation: “There is a circus in the Tweede Kamer while the politicians themselves have contributed to price increases through higher VAT rates.” The 2019 VAT hike on food, from 6 to 9 percent, has played a significant role in reducing Dutch purchasing power, contrary to claims blaming supermarkets.