New collective labor agreements in the fresh produce sector: more pay, more security

If you’ve been on the edge of your seat in recent weeks, you’re not alone. Nearly 25,000 colleagues in the fresh produce sector were eagerly awaiting the renewal of the collective labor agreements for the Wholesale in Fruit and Vegetables and the Fruit and Vegetable Processing Industry. The decision has now been made: there will be higher pay and greater security for both employees and employers.

In this blog we update you on the most important changes, so that you as a professional know exactly what will change, and HR and management gain insight into the implications for policy and recruitment.

If you work in wholesale, your pay will increase by at least 1.1 % on 1 July 2025. On 1 January 2026 another 2 % will be added. This brings the lower job groups (A through E) back into line with higher functions. The rise in the statutory minimum wage had skewed that relationship in recent years. The new CLA corrects this and ensures your remuneration better reflects your tasks. The difference may vary from person to person, but you are guaranteed at least 1.1 % extra.

If you fall into a higher pay scale (job groups above I), you will receive at least a salary increase of 0.55 % and an additional 1 % on 1 January 2026. So you too benefit from the pay rises, although to a lesser extent than employees in lower groups. This makes the pay structure more transparent and fair.

In the processing industry there are two structural pay increases: 3.75 % on 1 July 2025 and a further 3 % on 1 July 2026 across all pay scales. This represents a clear raise.

In short: the base salary in the fresh produce sector will go up for every employee in both parts of the chain. But there are other important changes that will affect your pay.

One of the most significant changes in the new Wholesale in Fruit and Vegetables CLA is that, from 1 July 2025, pay will be based on hourly wages rather than a monthly or four‑week salary. This brings many advantages.

Employees now have a clear understanding of what they earn per hour and can be compensated more fairly for overtime and additional hours. It also benefits payroll administration: greater transparency and accuracy when calculating allowances and salary adjustments. For job seekers in the AGF sector it also makes offers much more transparent, especially in regions with high mobility such as Westland and the Venlo region.

Overtime and extra hours are being equalised as well. For overtime (all hours above your full‑time working hours) the employee receives an allowance of 35 %. Extra hours (all hours above the standard working hours for part‑timers) previously only yielded extra leave, holiday allowance and pension. The difference between the two is small; 2.23 %. From 1 January 2026 this percentage will be paid out as an extra allowance for extra hours. Both groups will thus receive a 35 % allowance. Part‑timers who frequently work extra hours will particularly benefit.

As of 1 July 2025 youth wages in wholesale will be abolished for 20‑year‑olds and they will be reclassified into the same pay group as people aged 21 and over. Pay scales will also be introduced for part‑time workers and holiday workers aged 15–17. They will earn the statutory minimum wage plus € 2 per hour. These changes ensure a clear and fair salary for young employees; an extra incentive for a career in the fresh produce sector. Are you looking for young employees for fresh produce vacancies? Then be transparent about this change.

Lastly, the travel allowance in wholesale will be increased from € 0.15/km to € 0.18/km.

There are also a few changes in the processing industry. The travel allowance is no longer calculated as a fixed amount per month or period, but per day. As of 1 July 2025 you will receive € 0.19/km for a one‑way trip of 10–20 km, and € 7.60 per day for a one‑way trip of 20 km or more. In practice, this allowance is significantly higher than the previous fixed monthly amounts. For example, if you commute 15 km one way and work full‑time (five days a week), you will now receive € 114 per month in travel allowance. Previously this was only € 21 per month; a considerable improvement for employees who live more than 10 km from work.

As of 1 January 2026 the year‑end bonus in the processing industry will also be increased to 4.50 %. To qualify, you must have been actively employed for at least nine months or ten periods per calendar year.

The revised Wholesale in Fruit and Vegetables CLA also includes new agreements on hiring temporary agency workers. Their position in the sector is being improved. As of 1 July 2025 employers may only work with NEN‑certified agencies; housing must be SNF‑certified.

In addition, after 36 months with the same client, a temporary worker must be offered a written open‑ended contract. If the temporary worker does not agree, this has no consequences for their temporary work.

Because of a one‑year transition period, these agreements must be implemented by 1 July 2026. These measures give temporary workers more certainty in their terms of employment, especially in the long term.

Work–life balance receives more attention in both CLAs. Employers are creating more room for relaxation or caregiving tasks.

In wholesale, employees will be able to purchase a maximum of three extra days of leave per calendar year from 1 January 2025. There has also been discussion about how to deal with employees who provide informal care. No concrete agreements have been made about this, but the social partners have included a recommendation in the CLA. In short, the advice is to make clear arrangements with your employer in the event of informal care, so as to reach a suitable arrangement. The employer must take into account the redistribution of tasks so that this does not place a long‑term workload on other colleagues.

In the processing industry there is more space for older employees. The extra leave scheme is now also available to employees aged 64 and older, so 65‑plus employees can also make use of this scheme. There are also additions to special leave and bereavement leave. In the event of the death of a parent you can now take leave from the day of death until and including the day of the funeral. In the event of the death of a brother or sister you get one day of special leave.

In the event of the death of a partner or a minor child living at home, you may now also take bereavement leave equal to one week of your contractual working hours.

These new arrangements give employees more breathing room during major events, while employers retain clear frameworks so that staffing levels are not jeopardised.

Not sure whether you fall under the wholesale CLA or the processing industry CLA? Look at the core activities and distribution of turnover in your organisation. If your focus is mainly on purchasing, sales, logistics and distribution of fresh fruit and vegetables, you usually fall under wholesale. If your organisation processes or treats fruit and vegetables into preserves, frozen products or other forms, the processing industry CLA applies.

As a recruitment and selection agency with more than 15 years of experience in horticulture and the fresh produce sector, we at Green People Recruitment immediately see what these changes mean for professionals and employers in the sector.

Employees in both wholesale and the processing industry will benefit — both financially and in terms of work–life balance. In the processing industry, salaries will increase by 3.75 % and later another 3 %. Together that’s 6.75 %. Do you currently earn € 3,000 gross per month on a full‑time basis? Then your salary will have risen to € 3,205.88 per month by July 2026. Combined with a substantial increase in the travel allowance and a year‑end bonus of 4.5 %, employees will immediately gain more financial security.

In addition to the pay rises in wholesale, basing the salary on the hourly wage has the greatest impact. All increases and allowances — such as the extra hours allowance — are now calculated directly on your hourly wage, making remuneration in the sector more transparent, fair and much more precise. Candidates looking for fresh produce vacancies can now easily compare hourly rates in order to make the right choice.

The correction of the wage structure and the allowances for extra hours also ensure fairer pay throughout the salary structure. This makes the sector much more attractive for starters, career changers and younger employees. And those are precisely the people who are badly needed, as we also notice at Green People Recruitment.

CLA changes call for swift clarity for your people and sharp choices in your recruitment. Translate the CLA changes into a clear one‑pager in which you explain concretely what will change for your employees and when these changes will take effect. Give, for example, a calculation example showing the wage changes clearly, and let the department heads present the changes to their teams. Make sure HR is well informed about the changes so that they can respond to questions immediately and clearly.

Adjust your offer to potential candidates directly. Review your fresh produce and horticulture vacancies and be transparent about the (hourly) wage, allowances and leave options. This will greatly increase your chances of receiving applications and also improve the quality of candidates, as we see at Green People Recruitment. Especially in regions where demand for staff and competition are high, such as Westland or the Venlo region, transparency in your offer is crucial.

Would you like to spar about translating these CLAs into your salary structure, job advertisements or recruitment strategy? Then contact us. We are happy to help you align policy and messaging.

Looking for a new challenge in the fresh produce or horticulture sector yourself, or curious about what the sector has to offer you? Then get in touch directly with one of our horticulture and fresh produce consultants by phone, WhatsApp or e‑mail.

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