Cross-border shopping puts 15,000 Belgian jobs at risk
Shopping across the border puts 15,000 Belgian jobs at risk, now that Belgians are going abroad more than ever for cheaper groceries.
With prices rising significantly due to high inflation, citizens living near Belgium's borders often head to neighbouring countries to save money on groceries, which experts say is taking its toll on the Belgian economy.
According to retailer Jorg Snoeck border shopping is more popular than ever. While inflation hits consumers' wallets, the perception that life abroad is up to 10 percent cheaper is driving people across the border.
"I expect the shortage of raw materials due to the war in Ukraine to increase the phenomenon of border shopping in the autumn. That will push prices up further," , Snoeck told Het Laatste Nieuws.
"A country can be cheap for some products, but expensive for others," Stoeck added. In the Netherlands, products like diapers, dairy, electronics and coffee are cheaper, but meat products have higher prices and lower quality.
Cheaper abroad
In France, on the other hand, meat, wine and cosmetics are more affordable and better, while DIY products, vegetables and fruit are better avoided. In Germany, you can save on electronics, detergents, bicycles and clothes, but soft drinks and bottled water are more expensive, while Luxembourg is the place to buy cheap spirits, cigarettes and fuel.
However, experts point out that shopping at the border is also detrimental to the Belgian economy. Trade federation Comeos calculated that it costs the country 2.65 billion euro a year and 15,000 jobs.
Some products may be cheaper abroad, but others cost more than in Belgium. "So the benefit of shopping at the border for your weekly purchases is minimal," Snoeck says. However, it starts to pay off if you buy products that are cheaper abroad and store them in large quantities, so you don't have to cross the border as often.
It would also work by "checking foreign online shops, as their prices are often slightly lower than in physical shops. And avoid tourist centres, where prices are usually higher. For example, do your shopping in Roosendaal rather than in Sluis."
Meanwhile, Dutch companies like Jumbo and Albert Heijn are bringing prices down in Belgium, as Belgian department stores must continue to compete with cheaper offers from across the border. "Because they operate globally, they can buy cheaply themselves, so they can keep their prices very low. The other chains follow," Snoeck explains.
"However, a comparative market study has shown that Colruyt, which operates mainly in Belgium, is not necessarily more expensive than supermarkets abroad," he concludes.
(PRESS)
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