For consumers, gastronomy and food producers sunflower oil due to the war in Ukraine will remain in short supply in the near future. That's why the big companies have already changed the cooking oil mixture for frying potatoes. "Ukraine is the largest supplier of sunflower oil in the world," said a spokesman for the Berlin-based Association of Oil Refining Industries.
Sunflower oil has been largely depleted in supermarkets for weeks. But shortages have also affected large companies. "We use a mixture of vegetable oils to fry our potatoes, including sunflower oil and rapeseed oil, where sunflower oil is a small part," said a McDonald's Germany spokeswoman in Munich. "Our customers can thus continue to eat potatoes in the quality they are accustomed to us," he adds.
Rape oil instead of sunflower oil
Canola oil, which is produced from rapeseed oil, is a suitable substitute, and unlike sunflower oil there is no shortage. "There is no problem with rapeseed oil," said a spokesman for Ovid. In Germany, France or Poland, rapeseed is grown on almost one million hectares.
The fact that it is currently difficult or even impossible to find in many supermarkets rapeseed oil is related to both excessive purchases and problems in the supply chain.
The gastronomy, the food industry and the consumers feel that the cost of cooking oil is skyrocketing. "The prices of cooking oils have risen dramatically," said Thomas Gepert, president of the Dehoga Hotels and Restaurants Association in Munich.
Further price increases on packaged foods are also expected in the coming months. According to the Federal Statistical Office in March fast food was 6% more expensive than a year ago.
"A sandwich with doner should normally cost 7,30 euros," said Gürzel Ilber, chairman of the board of the Turkish Doner-Kebab Association in Europe. In Berlin it cost around 3,50 euros and now between five and six euros. "It is difficult because of the competition to change prices," he added.
Concerns from the unions as well
And the NGG food union sees the existence of many companies in the food industry as being threatened by the cost explosion. It is important for the food industry to pass on price increases to retailers and consumers. "The big companies will do it, but many medium-sized companies will not be able to do it," said Guido Zeitler, president of NGG.
Due to rising prices, Guido Zeitler called for low-income consumers. McDonald's has already recommended "price adjustments" to some restaurant managers for certain menus.
However, the Central Association of German Bakery Trade has been expressing its great concern for a long time due to the increased prices of raw materials and energy. In the food industry, the bakery is a major consumer of natural gas, according to Guido Zeitler, president of NGG. Next are the dairy and meat industries.
Industry and consumers must therefore be prepared in the near future for even greater increases in food.
Source: DW