Domestic goods are expensive, Dutch people flock to Germany to shop

The reason is that most of the goods in the Netherlands are more expensive than in neighboring countries at this time. The end of year shopping season is approaching and therefore more and more people in the land of tulips choose to go shopping across the border, to protect their wallets.

With prices for food, cosmetics and household goods falling by up to 25% across the border, many Dutch people are willing to take 400km round-trip bus trips to fill their shopping baskets.

Ms. Marleen Naipal spent 40 euros on a bus ticket, spending several hours traveling hundreds of kilometers from Rotterdam, the Netherlands to Bocholt, Germany to shop for goods at a much cheaper cost.

"Many products are at least half the price of the ones in the Netherlands, and even cheaper if they are on sale. So I don't find it worth the effort to travel far to buy them," said Marleen Naipal, Hairdresser, Netherlands.

Marleen Naipal is not alone. Many bargain-hunting Dutch travelers travel from Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Utrecht to Germany. Several companies offer “affordable shopping” tours from the Netherlands, and one even offers an overnight stay in Luxembourg so customers can enjoy the bargains.

When comparing prices for more than 130 popular products, the Dutch consumer protection agency found that goods in Germany were on average 15% cheaper than in the Netherlands. High-quality brands such as cosmetics and personal care products sold in pharmacies were even up to 25% cheaper.

A recent report by the agency found that in the Netherlands these items are often discounted, but cannot compete with prices in Germany.

"In a very short time, prices have become very expensive in the Netherlands. As a result, many people on average incomes are having a lot of trouble making ends meet. This includes families and single parents with small children. So we really hope that this issue will be highlighted in the elections," said Marleen Naipal.

The high cost of living is one of the most prominent issues in Dutch opinion polls ahead of the October 29 vote.

Mr. Marcel Lubbers - Political science expert, Utrecht University (Netherlands) said: "I think the cost of living is still an important issue for many people and they will connect it with other topics such as housing or immigration".

The Dutch Markets and Consumers Authority launched an investigation into supermarket food prices last month, looking into so-called territorial supply restrictions that are blamed for high prices in the Netherlands.

One of the territorial supply restrictions is the requirement that all labels must be legible to prevent retailers from importing bulk goods from abroad without Dutch labels.

Source: https://vtv.vn/hang-trong-nuoc-dat-do-nguoi-ha-lan-do-sang-duc-mua-sam-100251026192649424.htm