Why does a jar of HAK vegetables cost €1.19 in a German supermarket—but €2.39 just across the border in the Netherlands? That’s the question MPs like Pieter Omtzigt are now asking in parliament. For shoppers, it feels like price gouging. For retailers, it’s a result of complex sourcing, market dynamics, and category strategy. But the gap is more than economic—it’s becoming political. And it forces the industry to explain what determines price beyond the label: shopper psychology, margin structures, and category roles all collide in what is now a national supermarket debate.
Be fearless in front of them with your ideas as many times as they’ll let you
In the early 2000s, Albert Heijn found itself losing market share and consumer trust. The perception? Too expensive. The reality? A fragmented assortment with limited price perception management. Under Dick Boer’s leadership, AH launched a turnaround campaign that reshaped Dutch grocery retail.
The retailer introduced deep cuts on hundreds of popular A-brands and expanded its private label range. More than just slashing prices, Albert Heijn used smart category management. Key value items (KVIs)—everyday products like bread, milk, and pasta—were priced strategically to shift consumer perception. Non-KVIs carried higher margins to balance the bottom line.
At the heart of this approach was the shopper basket—not individual items. Customers needed to feel they were spending less overall, even if some prices stayed the same. The result: market share rebounded, and AH set the tone for strategic pricing in Dutch food retail.
Find people with high expectations and a low tolerance for excuses. They’ll have higher expectations for you than you have for yourself. Don’t flatter yourself that this has much to do with you – this is just who they are. Don’t look for “nice” in these relationships. Look for trust.
In addition to loving beauty and taking care of myself, I also love opening people minds to other paths of self-care, and good marketing and I can honestly say that I use and personally love this product but I’m not sure for which reason.
I think it made me think about it more and really consider why I was choosing to add this to my routine
It poses an interesting question for me on the wellness category – will people be willing to buy in, or does eating something change your “sniff” test on the believe-ability of the claims?
The color is very long lasting and they have an interesting texture that’s like a powder and a cream but neither really. They’re made with pure pigments and oils and will never melt with the warmth of your skin because they don’t contain any waxes. You can literally use them for anything – obviously as eye shadow and liner, but the light shade is a great highlighter, and the red can be used for lip or blush with a little balm.
There’s also a little pouch to store the rollerballs, and a card with different inspirations as to how to blend them on your skin – but it’s foolproof. You can’t make a mess if you mix them all up.
Badger Beard Balm is perfect for the bearded gents in your life (is this everyone? beards are so trending). It is filled with good things such as vitamins A, D, E & F to keep his beard healthy, thicker and cleaner, as well as helping to relieve itchiness as it soothes the skin under the hair.
If you’re looking to get rid of this beard, maybe this is not the right angle for your gifting
Further, no one wants to cuddle with a dirty beard – who knows, maybe you already are and are dying for a nice way to help this problem of yours his. Beard Wash made by Beard Buddy. Started in 2011 in California, all Beard Buddy products are hand crafted by beards for beards. Both founders have large beards of their own to tame, and wanted to do this with organic products – kudos, and cuddles, to them.
