International brand manufacturers are not playing the European single market game: territorial supply constraints cost consumers as much as fourteen billion euros a year, the retail industry claims. Manufacturers point to national differences in legislation.
#singlemarket4all
Why are identical products sometimes (much) more expensive in one country than in another? Manufacturers are preventing the European single market from working as intended, retailers argue. In a campaign with the hashtag #singlemarket4all, retail federation EuroCommerce is launching a frontal attack on territorial supply constraints. In short, the accusation comes down to this: manufacturers take advantage of the single market by concentrating their European production in one or a few sites and by sourcing ingredients where they want. However, they require retailers and wholesalers to buy only from their national subsidiary at a price they set separately for each market.
