Is going to the supermarket in Germany the same as in Vietnam? Are you wondering how much it costs to go to the supermarket in Germany? Is it much more expensive than in your home country? And in this article, let’s explore the truth about going to the supermarket in Germany with My Career and some experiences so you can save on this expense!

Talking about studying in Germany , everyone knows about this country’s policy of completely free tuition. However, with the high cost of living in the West, saving money is always a matter of great concern for international students. So which supermarket is cheap and affordable? Follow right here to become a real “native”.

1. What types of supermarkets are there in Germany?

• Edeka : Edeka is Germany’s largest supermarket chain and has around 4,000 stores nationwide. It is similar to Winmart and Winmart + in Vietnam in offering a wide range of everyday products. Such as fresh fruit, vegetables, bread, milk and some canned goods. Larger branches also offer household essentials. Such as soap, towels, toiletries and even stationery and kitchenware.
• Rewe : is also one of the largest supermarket chains in Germany with about 3300 stores nationwide. It offers a wide range of good quality products. Including most of the branded products in Germany. Rewe sells a wide range of products, especially in the food group. Including fresh, dry and canned goods, instant food.

Also available:

• Discount supermarkets : such as Netto, Lidl, Aldi, Kaufland and Penny have a better supply of products at cheaper prices. Their products often have a longer shelf life than organic products. Many large branches also sell household items such as microwaves, ovens, etc.
• Organic supermarket chains: Germans are also quite fond of organic supermarkets, including Denn?s Biomarkt and Alnatura. Here you can buy foods such as organic spinach and blueberries, yogurt and pure juices.

2. Reference costs when going to the supermarket in Germany 

After distinguishing the types of supermarkets in Germany, you also need to consider your weekly spending ability to choose the right supermarket to shop: 

• Aldi, Lidl, Netto, Penny: are cheap supermarkets but the goods are not diverse. Usually only sell popular items that many people buy. Special items are sold in Angebot periods. The cost of buying food and drinks for students is usually around 15-20 euros/week.

• Kaufland, Real: here the items are diverse and full of all items. From food and drinks to cook European and Asian dishes, to clothes, school supplies, televisions… But the prices here are a bit higher, the cost you can spend is about 25-30 euros/week.

• Rewe, Edeka: the main item here is food, but the difference between these two supermarkets and the previous ones is that the food is very fresh. The cost for a week of food here is 30-50 Euro.

You also need to pay attention:

From Kaufland up, when going to supermarkets in Germany, you should pay attention, the same type of item but produced by different companies can have a price difference of 2 to 3 times. In Germany, they research consumer psychology quite carefully, so they will put high-priced items on the middle shelf to:

• Within sight
• A little higher up
• Or go down below the price will gradually decrease.

Some products differ in quality, but there are also products with no difference in quality. Simply because famous brands spend a lot of money on advertising to raise their brand in the minds of consumers. This advertising cost makes the price of the product higher than other products of the same type.

3. How to choose food when going to the supermarket in Germany

• Meat: meat here is sold in two forms. One is pre-cut meat, canned and stored in the refrigerator (available in all supermarkets). The other is meat sold at the counter, you can buy as much as you want and ask them to cut it (from Kaufland onwards). Usually, meat sold at the counter is more expensive than pre-cut meat in a can, but the quality is better.
• Beef: can be bought canned or at the counter, both are good quality.
• Pork: should buy meat at the counter, canned meat smells bad, if you buy this type, you should season it a lot to cover the smell.

• Other parts of the pig (belly, bones, ribs, fat, liver…): can be bought canned at Kaufland, or at the meat counter of other supermarkets
• Chicken: The chicken here is raised industrially so it tastes very dry and not fragrant. You should buy Puten meat (meat from turkey) which tastes delicious and chewy like Vietnamese chicken.

Besides,

• Fish: You can buy seafood anywhere in the supermarket in Germany. There are filtered types and whole types. Fish at Aldi, Lidl… are of average quality. The ones from Kaufland and beyond are of good quality. But the fish sold in supermarkets are mostly frozen. They usually sell salmon, squid, scallops, mussels, shrimp… large, delicious shrimp are about 10 euros/box. Kaufland also has a fresh seafood counter.

• Milk:

• Fresh milk: divided into 2 types: 1.8% Fett for those who want to lose weight. And 3.5% or 3.8% Fett for those who want to gain weight. There is also Lactose free milk specifically for those who are allergic to Lactose in milk.
• Other types of milk such as soy milk, almond milk, barley milk, vanilla milk, yogurt, and cream are also available.

 6 surprising facts about going to the supermarket in Germany

Germany also sells Asian products

It may sound surprising, but there are still many stores in Germany that sell Asian food and food. In particular, in the Northeast of the German capital, Dong Xuan Market Berlin was built as a familiar address, and a unique cultural feature of the Vietnamese community in the Federal Republic of Germany, an attractive tourist destination for locals and international visitors. 

Queuing culture when going to the supermarket in Germany

This is a typical Western cultural feature that we Easterners have learned and developed into a habit of life. Asian countries have recognized the beauty of this culture and practiced it in life. 

Great deals at the supermarket in Germany

In Vietnam, plastic bottles are often thrown away and not recycled by convenience stores, but in Germany, you have to pay 0.25 Euro for the bottle you bought. But for drinks with a brand or logo, buyers can return the plastic bottle to any nearby convenience store, the cashier will refund the amount you paid for the plastic bottle. This is probably the reason why Germany has become the world’s leading clean living country.

Pay for the bag

In Vietnam, you can get bags at the supermarket without paying any extra fee, which causes the amount of plastic bag waste to increase. To solve this problem, Germany has taken an economic measure where customers have to pay for their bags when going to the supermarket. Germany has signed an agreement to reduce the consumption of plastic bags and in 2016 Germany imposed a higher tax on the use of plastic bags, so you will no longer see German stores “giving away” plastic bags.

Get the cart with coins

Coins in Vietnam have not been used for many years because the production cost is higher than the value of the coins. In Germany, coins are still used daily for purchasing purposes. When going to the supermarket in Germany, you have to put the coins in the slot on the trolley to be able to use them and will receive a refund after putting the trolley back in the right place. It can be simply understood as a bet to use the trolley when going to the supermarket in Germany.

Supermarkets in Germany are rarely open on weekends and holidays.

In Germany, every job has a day off. So it is not surprising that supermarkets are closed on weekends. They allow employees to take the weekend off to ensure their energy for the following week. Therefore, remember to prepare and stock up on food during the week so that you do not have to be surprised when the supermarket is closed on the weekend.

With the interesting things when going to the supermarket in Germany above, hopefully international students will somehow become smart consumers, save on living expenses for themselves. And accumulate experience to become a “native” in Germany!

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