What Your Choice of German Supermarket Says About You?

In Germany, the supermarket you frequent says a lot about you, potentially revealing hints about your daily routine, diet, and how much you’re willing to splurge on bread or beer, writes Paul Krantz.

Journey Through German Supermarkets

Like many new residents, when an international student first came to Germany, he shopped almost exclusively at the two supermarkets that were closest to his house. His first residence was just down the street from a Penny. In the opposite direction, and about twice as far away, was a REWE. Naturally, Paul shopped more often at Penny initially – it was closer – and he appreciated how cheap everything was. He could get half-litre cans of beer (including the deposit) and fill up his backpack for around €15. (This was 2020. Those were the days.)

But it didn’t take too long for him to notice that certain foods just weren’t at Penny. If Paul wanted to take a stab at a recipe with more eclectic ingredients, he found that REWE was a better bet. REWE had about twice as much produce, and it tended to look a bit more fresh in his opinion.

Eventually, he discovered his local Aldi and Lidl, and then a Kaufland and a BioMarkt. At each new store, he discovered an exciting array of new products to be found. Even if maybe 90 percent of the experience at most of these stores was pretty much the same, they all had their interesting quirks.

Everyone who has lived in Germany for some years is bound to develop a preference. So please allow us to take a tongue-in-cheek look at what your choice of supermarket says about you.

Discounters: Aldi, Lidl, Penny, and Netto

First up we have the so-called discounters. These are the budget-friendly markets offering basic groceries, among other things, and are marked by easy in-around-and-out layouts.

1) Penny

Penny shoppers are a ‘no frills, no problem’ kind of people. There’s nothing particularly interesting about Penny’s offering. It’s got what you came for – maybe not every single ingredient, but something that’ll work. It’s the ideal store for those moments when you need either 12 frozen pizzas or maybe two bananas, a can of tuna, a bag of rice, and a bottle of cheap whisky. Are the bananas a bit green? Yeah, but you like them that way. Also, it’s convenient that they have nacho cheese chips on the way. You didn’t come here for those, but you’re definitely grabbing them now.

2) Aldi

People who prefer Aldi are honestly a little bit concerning. There’s just so much going on in Aldi that you’ve got to be a bit of a chaos goblin to cope. The first time I went to Aldi, it was to buy a service plan for my cell phone, and I was waiting in line between a person buying bread and another buying milk and pyjamas. It’s just a bit much. Aldi stores also tend to have huge sales racks organized in the most cryptic way imaginable. Of their sales items, some are marked down to good deals, but others can be questionable. Fun fact: There is a line, which runs between Essen and Mülheim and continues across the country, dividing Germany between the land of Aldi Nord and the land of Aldi Süd. Two brothers named Theo and Karl Albrecht took over the Albrecht Diskont (Aldi) family business, and eventually had a feud and split it up.

3) Lidl

A Lidl shopper is practical: thrifty but has standards, and no time to waste. Lidl combines the cheap-and-best appeal of Penny with the non-sequitur shopping experience of Aldi. (Why is this aisle full of linens, work shoes, and hot sauce?) But if you know what to look for, you can find some high-quality goods at impossibly cheap prices – like the Lidl brand craft beers, for example, or Greek yogurt. Lidl stores are found throughout Europe and tend to carry the same products across locations, so it can also be the place to find foreign specialty goods like Kalamata olives or Italian Wines at discount prices.

4) A Tale of Two Nettos

The last big discounter in Germany is Netto. That’s red-letter Netto to be clear, as opposed to Netto with the dog, which is actually a Danish retailer. In case you hadn’t noticed, because most people don’t, there are two different markets called Netto in Germany. Red-letter Netto (no dog) is a discounter comparable to Aldi, Penny, or Lidl. If you shop here, people might assume you’re having a hard time. Netto’s slogan is “Marken-Discount” (discount brand) and that’s really all you need to know. On the other hand, Netto with the dog (black letters) is more like a full-service supermarket – tending to have many more foods and organic products.

Full-Service Supermarkets

Next, there are Germany’s full-service supermarkets. If you tend to cook complex recipes or keep a fair amount of unique ingredients at home, you’ll probably find these stores more useful. But when you just need a couple of items, they can be a bit overwhelming.

1) REWE

REWE shoppers come in many forms: there’s the man or woman who’s filling a shopping cart to the brim with all of their family’s groceries for the next week. Then there’s the younger bachelors/bachelorettes whose culinary adventures just require a little bit more than the discount shops can offer – think a young chef who needs a particular kind of soy sauce, or a vegan college student stocking up on five different kinds of tofu. REWE offers the selection of a full supermarket, while still maintaining prices comparable to the discounters (although it’s usually a tad pricier), but therefore it’s never really a bad choice. My only qualm with REWE is that it’s always weirdly challenging to find the eggs. Does anyone else have this problem?

2) Edeka

Edeka is the market for those who enjoy quality foods and are willing to pay for it. It’s the Whole Foods of Germany, if you will. By which I mean that it’s got a lot of healthy, fresh foods but it’s going to cost you a bit more. It’s not going to break the bank as much as a Bio-markt, but the prices are high enough that the customers here tend to have soft hands and maybe a penchant for small dogs. But hey, if you’re trying to impress a date with a homemade dinner at home, maybe go to Edeka.

3) Kaufland

Kaufland goes beyond full-service supermarket and steps into something else entirely. It’s name says it all. Kaufland literally translates to “buying land” or “shopping land,” and that’s exactly what you do here – buy just about anything. If Edeka is Whole Foods, then Kaufland is Walmart. You’ll find all the foods and drink you could dream of, and also basketballs, for example. If you shop at Kaufland, I assume you’re driving home. It’s far too big of a place to go for just a handful of items. But with its extensive layout come plentiful options, and Kaufland is a good place to try and find those few ingredients you miss from home that aren’t commonly stocked in Germany. For me, it’s refried beans and decent hot sauce. Not only does Kaufland have authentic Mexican style hot sauce, it has like 30 kinds.

4) Organic Grocers

Finally, we have the organic grocery stores like Denn’s BioMarkt, Alnatura, and smaller shops. Regardless of the specific shop or brand, if you shop at organic grocery stores I know two things about you: 1) you have a deep appreciation for food and/or the environment, and 2) you have a fair amount of money. Some people say that organic foods just taste better, others say it’s healthier, and still others say it’s about reducing toxic pesticide and fertilizer use. All of which are strong arguments for organic foods. Unfortunately, many items at organic grocery stores cost two or three times more than they would at the previously listed grocers. For a couple choice items, perhaps that’s fine. But if you’re on a budget, that will quickly prevent you from filling up your basket. As an American, I’m impressed by the number of organic products on the shelves at Germany’s standard grocers, like all of REWE’s generic bio-products, for example. If I were to win the lottery, then perhaps you’ll find me exclusively shopping at Denn’s.

One thing is certain no matter which German supermarket you choose: You will always finish with a dramatic race to bag your items against a cashier that is entirely too fast.

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