Germany’s supermarket landscape has a clear hierarchy that affects both price and quality. Understanding which shop is for what saves money and time.
The Discounters: Aldi and Lidl
Aldi (Aldi Nord in northern Germany, Aldi Süd in the south — two separate companies since 1961) and Lidl are hard discounters: minimal décor, limited product range (around 1,800–2,000 SKUs versus 25,000+ in a full supermarket), own-brand goods comprising 90%+ of the range, fast checkout, and prices 20–35% below full-service supermarkets. Aldi’s model: the original discounter, inventor of the format. Lidl added more branded goods than Aldi, a wider range, and a more visually appealing store. Both run weekly Sonderangebote (special offers) on non-food items (electronics, clothing, garden tools) at unusually low prices — popular with German shoppers who track these weekly. For everyday groceries: Aldi and Lidl offer genuinely competitive quality on fresh produce, dairy, and bread. The own-brand wines are often unexpectedly good (Aldi consistently wins wine awards).
The Full-Service Supermarkets: Rewe and Edeka
Rewe and Edeka (plus Edeka’s subsidiary Netto) are full-service supermarkets with broader ranges, more branded goods, fresh counters (Fleischtheke for meat, Käsetheke for cheese, Fischtheke for fish), bakeries in-store, and more premium own-brand lines. Rewe: a cooperative chain, strong across Germany, particularly strong in western Germany and cities. Good organic range (Rewe Bio), strong prepared foods section. Edeka: the largest supermarket group in Germany by turnover, run as regional cooperatives. Quality varies more than Rewe because individual Edeka shops are often independently owned — a well-run Edeka can be excellent; a poorly run one can be mediocre. Price: 15–25% above Aldi/Lidl.
The Premium and Specialist Options
Kaufland: hypermarket format (large stores with more non-food), owned by the Schwarz Group (same parent as Lidl). Good for large quantities, decent quality. Penny and Netto: cheaper discounters than Rewe/Edeka, slightly above Aldi/Lidl. Globus: regional hypermarket, strong in the west. DM and Rossmann: not food supermarkets but drug stores that stock food products — notably strong on organic goods (DM has an excellent own-brand Bio organic line). Specialty: Asian supermarkets (Asia Markt chains), Turkish supermarkets (Müller/Yildiz chains), and Middle Eastern shops are found in all major cities and carry ingredients not available elsewhere.
The Practical Strategy
The strategy most experienced Germany residents use: Aldi or Lidl for staples (pasta, rice, oil, dairy, eggs, standard fruit and veg, wine), Rewe or Edeka for quality meat, fish, fresh bread, and specialty items, DM or Rossmann for organic items and health products. Shopping at Aldi/Lidl exclusively can cut a food budget by 30–40% compared to shopping exclusively at Rewe/Edeka with comparable quality for most categories. The exceptions where full-service supermarkets genuinely win: fresh fish (significantly better selection and quality at Rewe/Edeka fish counters), specialty cheeses, and fresh bread from an in-store bakery versus packaged Aldi bread.
