The Chancellor rejects calls for government price regulation. Agriculture Minister threatens with fines.

Protest in front of the Federal Chancellery: Bull, managing Director of Georg Janßen, with a poster and Julia Klöckner photo: Michael Kappeler/dpa

BERLIN taz | Two tractors of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft bäuerliche Landwirtschaft (AbL) and a dozen Greenpeace activists protested in front of the Chancellery against the price policies of food chains. "Trade must cheap take meat out of the range", on a Transparent of the environmental organization. In the government headquarters fought under its trade associations and representatives of the four largest chain stores on fair relationships between companies, producers and processors in the food supply. The persistent complaints of the farmers about the price pressure from the trade show action. Angela Merkel, makes the subject of your thing.

the result of The top meeting, the Minister of agriculture, Julia Klöckner (CDU) and economy Minister Peter Altmaier (CDU) took part, however, is poor. Merkel made it clear that there will be none of the policy-prescribed minimum prices for food. The people had demanded a politician of the Left. Instead, the Chancellor relied on "fair relations" between suppliers and sellers. This is to ensure the EU Directive on unfair commercial practices in business-to-business relationships between companies in the food supply chain, the so-called UTP-Directive. You would have to be implemented in the coming year in German law, however, Klöckner pushes the pace. "I want to implement the very fast", they announced.

The four large retail companies, Edeka, Lidl, Rewe and Aldi dominate 85 percent of the food trade in Germany. The market you can use to evaluation Klöckners dishonest, to put the producers under pressure. Among the practices to cancel loads of fresh goods in the short term, without compensating the farmers for that. Also with the payment of the goods, it will take three months. It is expected of the retail chains that producers and industry actions, or special promotional offers, participate. Who does not spurt, is no longer taken into account by the buyers sometimes. Such practices are prohibited with the implementation of the UTP policy, or only allowed if both parties agree.

Klöckner announced sanctions for violations of the regulation. Then there are fines for the company. Thus, the authorities of the unfair methods are known, want to make a complaint for the supplier to set up, to which affected suppliers can apply without fear of discontinuation of their products. A further sector study on the concentration in the food trade was planned. "We do not make prices in the policy," said the CDU politician. Nevertheless, it maintains the standard of the discount rates is wrong. "Two kilograms of Apples for € 1.11", she asked, "how is this going to work?"

The debate about price competition in the trade of cook for many years without the cheap strategy of the chains, something would have changed. One reason for this is the consumer, the access of the discount rates strongly. Who waived the special offers, loses customers. So the head of the Federal Association of consumer organisations (vzbv), Klaus Müller warns that the interests of consumers to price not let food except Eight. Many customers are willing to pay more for more quality, and more. However, according to Müller, you are not able to assess the quality based on the price at all.

The consumer organization food watch, it looks similar. "A higher price tag on food is not a reliable indicator of a higher quality, better animal husbandry, or a fair payment for the farmers", says managing Director Martin Rücker. Food watch makes a failure in the Agricultural and antitrust policy responsible for the maladministration. Greens leader Robert Habeck calls, meanwhile, is a meat-Cent surcharge, with the revenues the investments of farmers to animal welfare could be promoted. The Klöckner rejected promptly.

Also with the payment of the goods, it take three months

Rewe-Chef Lionel Souque, the pricing of the trade, by contrast, defended. "In Germany there are about 13 million people in poverty or at the poverty line," he said of the dpa. "Cheap food prices, these people a healthy and safe diet."

The debate is in full swing, but the content so far on the site. "It is the Start of a process," admitted Klöckner to the top of a meeting. In December, had met Merkel with representatives of the farmers. The Federal government is striving visibly to a Moderation of the conflict between the conventional Food industry and climate activists, in addition to organic, as well as the interests of the consumer. Very much closer to that of the recent summit showed, the Participants are yet to be seen.