While for previous years we have managed to detect a pan-European trend in terms of retail price changes, it will be practically impossible to do the same for 2016. In the past, three main types of highly distinct behaviours by the European distribution sector have been observed. “Stowaway” behaviour (2012) was characterised by the distribution sector following and even largely exaggerating the inflationist thrust of the green banana price, with the tags constantly changing. “Good partner” behaviour (2014) saw the sector reduce its retail sale price while the import price stagnated. Finally, in its “cuckoo” behaviour phase (2013), like the bird of the same name, the sector exploited others’ resources by increasing its own margin while import prices fell.
Back in 2015 (see FruiTrop no.238, page 78), we did not manage to connect the year to one of these typical behaviours. We can observe the same absence of a general trend in 2016, though with a fly in the ointment: the lowest prices are, comparatively, increasingly low. In other words, we can see in the Spanish banana segment, in the German discounter segment and in the British pre-packed reference that retail prices have dropped by between - 1 and - 8 %. The most considerable fall is again, as always, in the United Kingdom, where the Brexit referendum result, which has led to a fall in the pound against the euro or dollar, has in no way quieted the price war between distributors. The fall on the other markets was very moderate.
Conversely, in the French conventional or promotional segments, the German non-discounter segments and the Spanish Canaries platano segments, prices increased. True, the upward trends were also moderate, but we should recall that import prices ebbed: between 0.40 and 1 euro per box between 2015 and 2016. Let’s finish this quick analysis with two peculiar examples. Spain provides the first, with a dazzling drop in green banana price (super extra reference) of 14 %, with the retail price making a 1 % gain. The Canaries producers will know what to make of that. The second example comes from France which stands out as an exception, with retail prices increasing in both the non-promotion and promotion references, while the import price dropped slightly (- 1 %).
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