Spain’s Union of Small Farmers (UPA) has dumped 6,000 tonnes of fresh fruits and vegetables in front of a Lidl supermarket in central Almeria as part of a protest against low prices being paid to producers.
The organisation carried out the protest on 13 December outside a Lidl outlet in Almeria’s Avenida del Mediterráneo to highlight what it called the “reality” for producers in the Spanish province, where growers have had to dispose of much of their crop to gain sales prices that cover the costs of production.
This situation, the UPA argued, was being repeated in a cyclical form during every season, but had become 'ever more frequent' and extended for an 'ever greater period of time'.
'There exists a clear collusion on prices among the major retailers that obliges producers to sell at a loss,' the organisation said. 'They have maintained this situation for their own benefit because it is not being reflected in the prices paid by consumers.'
