Jumbo launches ruthless attack in price war with Albert Heijn: clever or unlikeable?

You could almost forget that there’s another war going on: the price war between supermarkets. For years, supermarkets of all kinds have claimed to be the very cheapest. And above all: cheaper than the competition. Jumbo is now making that very clear. It is launching a ruthless attack on its biggest rival, namely Albert Heijn. In Jumbo stores, you can now also see Albert Heijn’s prices next to various products—which are, of course, higher than Jumbo’s.

De Telegraaf reported the news. It is the first time that a supermarket has launched such a direct attack on another supermarket. Price comparisons are made more often, but mainly in leaflets. The battle has never before been fought right there on the supermarket floor—the battlefield, in other words.

Cheaper cola, coffee and crackers

One of the stores where customers can witness the price war between Jumbo and Albert Heijn live is the Jumbo on Amsterdam’s Gelderlandplein. You can see the price comparison for, among other things, cola, coffee and crackers. The shelf labels show clear price differences of around 20 to 50 cents. In Jumbo’s favour, of course. The yellow team’s message is clear: you pay more at the blue team, so keep doing your shopping with us.

Will you sprint along, Albert Heijn?

Jumbo’s provocation goes even further. Prices are also being compared in television commercials. And two weeks ago, Ton van Veen, CEO of Jumbo, challenged Marit van Egmond, CEO of Albert Heijn, on LinkedIn. His post compares two receipts: one from Jumbo and one from Albert Heijn. “Jumbo is euros cheaper, and this is the proof…” it says above them. Ton’s message is about the final sprint of the year, autumn—the period when supermarkets still try to increase their annual revenue and profits. Ton ends his post with: “And sprinting calls for healthy competition, right? Marit van Egmond (AH), will you sprint along?” followed by a big wink.

Not very classy, Jumbo

What stands out is that most people really do not think Jumbo’s campaign is very classy. Marketing expert Michel van de Velde of Craftmore told De Telegraaf that he believes Jumbo is “disqualifying itself” with this. Smaller supermarkets can easily launch an attack like this. They do so from time to time: Dirk, for example, occasionally makes comparisons in its leaflets. Such “small fry” do not come close to the “giant Albert Heijn”. It is a bit like a gnome poking a giant. But Jumbo is clearly just as much of a giant as Albert Heijn. So is such an attack really fair?

Ton’s LinkedIn post also includes reactions from people who do not appreciate Jumbo’s campaign. Jessi van Setten criticises the fact that Jumbo’s so-called receipt only lists drinks. “If you want to save money as a consumer, you simply choose water—and now you’re using this to outdo your competitor? In my opinion, this campaign could be better, sharper and friendlier,” the response says. Martin de Leeuw writes: “And how does the price comparison look with other supermarket chains for the same products? I think this is a very selective list that says, ‘this works out well for us in this case’.”

Have you heard…?

Michel van de Velde thinks Jumbo mainly wants the supermarket to be mentioned—to stand out and get customers talking about it. But it must not forget that there are also customers who do not consider price the most important thing about a supermarket. Customers who also want good service, a pleasant shopping experience and friendly staff, for example. This is also clear from Marieke van Halm’s response to Ton van Veen’s LinkedIn post. “… As a former big Jumbo fan, I have become a little disenchanted. Cheap is nice… but I would rather see friendly staff with a smile (which probably hurts now, I imagine), well-stocked shelves and possibly replacement products when something is unavailable (logically, negotiations are taking place)! Customers are of course very inconvenient… when you have to unpack boxes. For this reason, I hardly ever go to Jumbo Supermarkten Westpolder Papendrecht anymore, and I would rather pay the €4 difference at a competitor.”

Misleading?

Another thing Jumbo must take into account is misleading advertising. The prices it displays must be correct. And since they can change at any moment, keeping them accurate is quite a task. Are they incorrect? Then Albert Heijn could take legal action. It could, for example, demand substantial damages from Jumbo.

What do you think: is Jumbo’s campaign unlikeable or clever? Either way, they have dropped a bombshell, and people are talking about the supermarket extensively. And that is (probably) exactly what they wanted. Well, I said it recently: you’re probably better off going to Lidl anyway for affordable groceries. Quite a few products are considerably cheaper there than at Jumbo or Albert Heijn. Or am I just adding more fuel to the fire?

Also read:

• 10 supermarkets that no longer exist but that we still miss
• Wow, Albert Heijn’s self-checkout tills cannot be trusted
• Jumbo stops meat promotions

Sources: De Telegraaf, Hart van Nederland