Strawberry prices are exploding: customers demand quality and transparency!

Strawberry prices are exploding: customers demand quality and transparency!

The strawberry season in Germany has begun, but the joy is being overshadowed by rising prices. Many consumers report dissatisfaction with the costs of the popular fruits, which have already risen to a record level this year. One customer said that she blames the strawberry growers for the high prices instead of complaining about price developments in stores. This is shown by a current discussion that is taking place on Facebook, among other places. An Aldi customer posted there that the expensive strawberries for 8 euros per kilogram are almost sold out, while the cheaper offers for 5 euros per kilogram are still in abundance. The customer suspects that a “smart re-sorting” is taking place, in which the expensive strawberries are transferred into the shells of the cheaper ones in order to be able to sell them better.

A Facebook user was particularly critical of the presentation of strawberries in supermarkets. She describes how the large fruits are always placed on top of the bowls while the smaller ones remain hidden underneath, leading to a misleading perception of quality. This user also had an experience where the weight of the strawberries she purchased was incorrect; She received less than 500 grams. Given the high prices, she demands that consumers should actually receive 500 grams for 4 to 4.50 euros. To ensure that she gets high-quality goods, she has come up with a strategy: She asks salespeople to refill the bowl so that she can check the quality. If the sellers refuse, she won't buy strawberries.

Political measures and demands

However, the rising prices for strawberries are not only a nuisance for customers, but also provoke political reactions. The social association VdK has used the price development as an opportunity to call for political measures. According to a report by hna.de, strawberries are seasonal fruits in Germany from May to the beginning of August and are one of the most popular types of fruit. In 2024, Germans consumed an average of 3.3 kilograms of strawberries per person. However, prices for a kilogram of German strawberries rose sharply last year, from 5.31 euros in June 2024 to 5.87 euros in June 2025, an increase of over 10%.

VdK President Verena Bentele is calling on the federal government to adapt the standard rates of citizens' money to current price developments in order to enable lower-income sections of the population to have a healthy diet. She also proposes a reduction in VAT on basic foodstuffs. Bentele points out that 60% of the production costs for strawberries are due to increased labor costs, which are particularly higher during the high season, as many harvest workers come from Eastern European countries.

Competition with imports

Another aspect of the price increases is the competition between German strawberries and cheaper imports from southern Europe. Spanish strawberries will be available in German supermarkets as early as February and can often be offered at reduced prices for harvest workers under worse working conditions. The Spanish minimum wage is only 8.37 euros, which also leads to lower prices in Germany, although the quality of German strawberries is generally higher.

The debate about the price development and quality of strawberries shows that it is not just about costs, but also about transparency and fairness in dealing with consumers. Against this background, it remains to be seen what political steps will actually be taken to improve the situation.

For more details and opinions on this topic, you can consult the reports from merkur.de and hna.de be called.