Tesco faces shortage of Heinz beans, tomato sauce and cream salad after a drop with the American brand due to rising prices.
Heinz has stopped supplying a range of key products along the line, which has already left shelves empty in some stores and out-of-stock items on Tesco’s website.
A Tesco spokesman said: “With household budgets under increasing pressure, now more than ever we have a responsibility to make sure customers get the best value possible and we will not pass on unjustifiable price increases to our customers.
“We regret that this means that some products are not available right now, but we have many alternatives to choose from and we hope this issue will be resolved soon.”
The supermarket added that it was “laser-focused on keeping the cost of the weekly store under control” as food price inflation increases the cost-of-living crisis.
Heinz said: “We are working closely with Tesco to resolve the situation as soon as possible. In today’s difficult economic environment, with rising raw material and production costs, many consumers are working on tight budgets.
“We always look at how we can deliver value through price, size and packaging so that consumers can enjoy the products they love and trust at a price that works within their budgets, without compromising on quality. We are confident of a positive resolution with Tesco “.
Heinz was founded in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1869, but since the early 1900s has produced its products for the British market in the United Kingdom.
New research for The Grocer trade magazine using data from Assosia reveals an increase in Heinz product prices in other supermarket chains in recent weeks.
The price of a 4 x 400 g pack of Heinz tomato cream soup, for example, has risen 40% from £ 2.50 to £ 3.50 at Sainsbury’s, while a 4 x 200 g pack of Heinz Snap Pots beans has risen 20% from £ 2.50 to £ 2.99 at Morrisons. .
A single can of baked beans from 415 ga Asda has risen by 90p to £ 1.20, the price now charged by all major chains except Tesco, which charges £ 1, and Morrisons, which charges £ 1.19, according to the Trolley price comparison site. co.uk.
Similarly, Tesco charges £ 3.15 for a 910g bottle of Heinz Tomato Ketchup, compared to £ 3.50 to all of its main rivals except Morrisons, which charges £ 3.49.
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Ged Futter, of The Retail Mind consultancy, which advises many grocery suppliers, said the price increase at Heinz was not surprising, as costs rose by 20% to 40% in many categories.
He said the companies he worked with had raised prices by an average of 25% last year, as the price of energy, fuel for delivery vehicles, ingredients such as tomatoes and cooking oil kitchen and packaging materials such as cardboard and cans had increased. substantially.
Tesco has said it will be “the minimum and last” with price increases and that suppliers must decide whether to offer Tesco a better deal or whether [all their clients] they’re getting the same deal and if Tesco doesn’t like it, they won’t, ”Futter said.
Tesco’s latest row with a major supplier comes six years after well-known brands such as Marmite and Ben & Jerry’s were removed from their shelves followed by Unilever.
An agreement was reached within 24 hours of the listing of this row after the share price of both companies fell.