{"id":5685,"date":"2026-09-11T10:13:23","date_gmt":"2026-09-11T08:13:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ch.schubwerk.eu\/blog\/allgemein\/how-to-get-my-product-into-germanys-supermarket-chains\/"},"modified":"2026-10-06T12:52:18","modified_gmt":"2026-10-06T10:52:18","slug":"how-to-get-my-product-into-germanys-supermarket-chains","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.consultinghouse.eu\/de\/blog\/market-expansion\/how-to-get-my-product-into-germanys-supermarket-chains\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Get My Product Into Germany’s Supermarket Chains"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n

With a wealthy population of almost 83 million people, Germany is comfortably the EU\u2019s largest food and beverage retail market. No wonder then that getting a product listed by a German supermarket is an attractive prospect for so many international manufacturers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read on to learn about the state of food retail in Germany, barriers to entering the market, and how to get your product in front of supermarket buyers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is the state of the German food retail market?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As an extremely mature market, revenues are on a steady \u2013 rather than rapid \u2013 upward trajectory, with an average annual growth rate<\/span><\/a> of 1% in the three years to 2018.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Growth may be moderate, but the sheer size of the market makes it an attractive prospect to overseas food manufacturers. The total value of the market climbed to $230 billion in 2017; in the same year, grocery imports stood at $103 billion.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who are the main players in Germany\u2019s supermarket space?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The grocery retail space is dominated by five main players, listed here in descending order of market share: <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Edeka Group<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Rewe Group<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Schwarz Group<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Aldi Group<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Metro Group <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Combined, these brands account for approximately three-quarters of the German food retail market.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The challenges of selling to German supermarkets<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Germany\u2019<\/span>s food retail market presents several challenges to consider before attempting to pitch your product to German supermarkets.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Chief among these is the traditional price-sensitivity of the country\u2019<\/span>s consumers. German citizens spend under 11% of their income on food and drink, one of the lowest proportions in the world, according to the <\/span>US Department of Agriculture<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Combined with high competition between supermarkets and discounters, this has resulted in low food prices with narrow profit margins. To counter this, retailers have placed greater focus on premium, higher-margin products, which are becoming increasingly popular with consumers.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Three strategies for entering the German food retail space<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Unfortunately, persuading a German supermarket to sell your product is more complicated than simply arriving at head office and hoping their head buyer agrees to see you. Improve your chances by following these tried-and-tested strategies:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1. Develop a strong marketing plan<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Before you reach out to retailers, it\u2019s vital that you develop a watertight marketing plan. Your proposal should incorporate the following details:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n