IIn an increasingly globalised retail environment, international service providers such as Epic Partners, Coopernic, AgeCore and buying groups such as Eurelec, Everest and Eureca have developed into strong forces.
In addition, there are further groupings and a constant change of members. Examples include the new Vasco International Trading AG with Coop Switzerland, the Colruyt Group from Belgium and Superunie from the Netherlands. The two Edeka alliances Epic and Everest have separated from Coopérative U and will continue to try to realise ‘competitive prices’, incl. now also Aura, the purchasing group of the retailers Auchan, Intermarché and Casino. Concordis is another group with European ambitions: Carrefour and Coopérative U are planning to set up a headquarter in Brussels, which should be operational by 2026.
Against this backdrop, manufacturers should be able to answer the following questions: How to prepare and organise the management of such alliances internally? How to define international and local investment guidelines? What are the most important process steps for creating internal transparency and establishing a justifiable pricing and conditions policy across markets? Where should the path lead = list price, net-net price harmonisation and/or European minimum prices?
CONTENT
Understanding of International Buying Alliances
- Main purchasing groups and their specific focus
- Retailers' priorities and suppliers' opportunities
- Best practice examples and worst-case scenarios
Managing International Buying Alliances & Purchasing Groups
- International alliance governance
- Potential business driver
- Folding & shifting opportunities
- Handling of "back to home" terms
- Negotiation strategies and key success factors
- The Eurelec "way of working": Practical example
Considerations on European Pricing
- European Pricing in the scope of TSC
- p4p based pricing and trade term systems
- Country specific vs. harmonized prices
- European price-lists!?
How to win with at Lidl & Aldi
- Key facts and priorities
- Product sizing and pricing tactics
- RSP risks & opportunities
- Recommendations for suppliers