Unavoidable Bureaucracy-Related Price Adjustment – effective December 29, 2025
Dear Duplo customers,
Since our last price adjustment in mid-2022, a lot has happened. Back then, we introduced our online discount for regular customers – and this very incentive encouraged many of you to switch to online orders. We would like to sincerely thank you for that! It also helped us keep our prices stable over a longer period.
However, we are now facing a number of additional challenges – a true international bureaucratic jungle, which unfortunately makes a price adjustment unavoidable: varying recycling regulations, packaging fees, and reporting systems across EU countries; upcoming changes related to the PPWR; the EUDR; rising minimum wages; increasing raw material prices; and the overall economic conditions in Germany – just to name a few.
In addition, new legal requirements such as the GPSR, which aims to enhance product safety across Europe, and the BFSG, which mandates accessibility for many products and services, are coming into effect.
These issues are, of course, important to us, and we believe their overall direction is right. At the same time, however, it becomes clear that policymakers and legislators often have little understanding of what these requirements actually mean for small and medium-sized businesses. For us, this results in considerable additional staff effort, many working hours, and rising costs.
After all, we have always been personally available for you – for example, if you experience difficulties with our website or want to discuss a concern directly with us. Personal contact with you has always been and will continue to be very important to us. Our customer service has grown over the years, because we want to provide you with real people to talk to – not just an AI chatbot.
The legal requirement to fundamentally change our website and to comprehensively label our products – for example, with manufacturer information and safety notices – now makes it unavoidable to adjust our prices at the turn of the year.
We are aware that price adjustments are always a sensitive topic – especially in times when everything already seems to be getting more expensive. That is exactly why we want to explain transparently why this step is necessary. At the same time, you can be sure: We remain committed to offering you high-quality horseshoe products – made in Germany – at fair conditions, while continuing to provide personal service from real people.
Just like in 2022, when we introduced the online discount for regular customers during our last price adjustment, we would again like to show you ways to support us – and benefit from more affordable purchasing options at the same time.
Changes to our Pricing Policy
Business Conditions also Available for Breeders, Trainers, and Therapeutic Riding
In our horse community, there are many groups that are truly essential and may not always have received the attention they deserve. Until now, our main focus has naturally been on farriers and farrier schools – the most important connecting link between our horseshoes and the horse’s hoof – as well as on dealers, who are our extended arm to you, the customer. These partners will, of course, continue to be of central importance to us in the future.
At the same time, we have decided to extend our business conditions to additional groups in the future: first and foremost to breeders – because without them, there would simply be fewer horses. Trainers are also indispensable. They teach eager riders how to keep horses healthy and ride them with care. They raise awareness, protect horses' backs, support the next generation of riders, and pass on valuable knowledge in riding schools – for lasting enjoyment of riding and the long-term well-being of horses.
We would also like to highlight therapeutic riding. Here, horses reveal their very special strength: they offer trust, closeness, and joy – and help people in a unique way. We truly believe this deserves our support.
That’s why our business conditions will now also apply to breeders, trainers, riding schools, equine-assisted therapy projects, and riding therapists. All of them play an essential role in sustaining our industry and keeping horses healthy – and for that, we want to thank you.
New Tier Quantities for Retail and Business Customers
Back in 2021, we introduced our tiered pricing. This allows customers to benefit from a lower price when ordering 20 or more shoes of the same item number. Our experience has shown that especially our wholesale partners have made good use of this system. We want to maintain this principle – reduced prices starting at a certain quantity per item number.
At the same time, we realized that not all customer groups can benefit equally. Horse owners who only order for their own horse – or farriers who care for many different client horses – rarely have the opportunity to order 20 units of a single item at once.
That’s why we’re introducing a well-considered new tier that will now start at just 8 units per item number. Why exactly this number? Based on an average shoeing interval of about 6 to 8 weeks, a horse will typically have four to five shoeing appointments between March and November. That means around eight to ten shoes are needed per season and per horse – for either the front or hind hooves.
So help yourself and us at the same time: make use of our tiered pricing. This not only reduces our administrative and shipping costs, but also protects the environment by lowering the number of parcel shipments – and you benefit from better prices.
Clipped Models – a Price Comparison
Same Function – Different Prices
Since every horse needs an individual solution, our product range is very extensive. This allows us to offer the best possible hoof protection for (almost) every horse.
For many horses, a horseshoe with quarter clips has proven to be the ideal solution – and for good reason, it's our bestseller. It is available with or without profile.
But here’s what many don’t know: our clipped model comes in different price levels. You can choose between the regular version, the regranulated version, the model made from test material, and last but not least the Basic version, which is becoming increasingly popular.
The Basic – a Budget-Friendly Alternative
The regular list price of the very popular "Duplo Basic" model remains unchanged! For anyone who can do without a knob array and galvanized metal parts but are not quite ready to try new materials, the affordable alternative is still available.
Changes to the Wolf Busch® Glue-On Tabs
An area that concerns many: Wolf Busch® tabs are among our best-selling products.
Here too, the new tiered pricing applies: 8 pairs of tabs are now enough for both retail and business customers to benefit. We also consider reducing the minimum from 20 to 8 pairs a good decision from a quality standpoint. It matches our recommendation to process glue-on tabs within five months of storage.
Price Reduction for Regular Wolf Busch® Tabs with Color Additive
Because life is already gray enough... we're giving the colorful Wolf Busch® tabs a small price advantage in the coming year. The classic regular tabs without color additive and the soft version will remain at a stable price.
Changes in the Innovations Test Range
The Snow Edition, as well as the shoes made from test material and the Protective Insoles, will remain part of the Innovations range for the coming season. This means you can still purchase these products at a reduced test price. The same applies to the Basic version of the Wolf Busch® glue-on tabs.
However, the Hoof Sole Protector and the models made from regranulate will leave the Innovations range at the turn of the year.
We have spent several years testing horseshoes made from regranulate and can now confidently say: they work. However, because the material is limited in supply, this is not a model for the general market. Just like in the Innovations range, all customers will continue to benefit from the same reduced price.
Realistic Price Calculation and Online Price List
We know that this message is not an easy one – for you or for us – despite the positive aspects, such as the reduced tier quantity. We would have preferred a different solution, but unfortunately, a price adjustment is unavoidable.
The prices valid from December 29, 2025 can already be found in your online price list under FAQ →
Online Price List.
Please log in to your customer account beforehand if you wish to benefit from our discounted business
conditions. The business customer price list will only be visible after login.
It is important to us to stay true to our principles: we calculate prices realistically and responsibly, because of course, we want and need to operate as a sustainable business. However, we have no interest in artificially inflating prices just to later promote discounts or new customer offers. That’s exactly why we sometimes have to say “no” when asked for special solutions or individual discounts.
Make use of all available benefits – by choosing a lower-priced model like the Basic or the regranulate version, using the volume discount, the online discount for regular customers, or by sharing your experience with us.
Of course, we also run promotions, support tournaments, and take part in trade shows – but always within reasonable limits and only where it is realistically feasible.
We thank everyone who took the time to read these lines and who is open to understanding the reasons behind our decision. We hope that these adjustments represent a fair and sustainable compromise – in the spirit of partnership and for the well-being of the horses, who are at the heart of everything we do.
Timeline and Company Winter Break
To help you plan ahead, we would like to give you early notice of the upcoming price adjustment: Now is the time to stock up at the current prices.
From all orders placed on December 29, 2025 onward, the new prices will apply.
Our last regular office day this year is Monday, December 22, 2025. On that day, we will be available as usual until 12:00 noon.
After that, we will begin our company winter break. Orders received between December 23 and December 28, 2025, will still be processed at the current prices and shipped within the old year on December 29, 2025.
Starting Wednesday, January 7, 2026, we will be back and available for you as usual.
We sincerely thank you for your understanding and for the trust you place in our company. Despite all the changes, we wish you a peaceful and joyful Advent season. If you have any questions or need further information, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Warm regards
Your Duplo Team
