Shops in Germany: Where to Buy Groceries, Clothing and Household Goods

After moving to Germany, you quickly find that shopping works a little differently from what you may be used to: supermarkets are usually closed on Sundays, shopping trolleys often require a deposit, bottles are returned through a Pfand machine, and some goods are better bought online than in a mall. Here is a practical guide for newcomers on where to buy groceries, clothing, furniture and electronics, and what to check before paying.

Where to buy groceries in Germany

The main option for everyday shopping is supermarkets and discount stores. In large cities, there are usually several chains near home, but their formats, selections and prices vary noticeably.

In most federal states, shops are open Monday to Saturday and closed on Sundays and public holidays. Exceptions can be found at railway stations, airports, petrol stations, some bakeries and certain tourist locations. Exact hours depend on the federal state, city and chain, so before a major shopping trip it is best to check Google Maps or the branch website.

For the first week after moving, this simple outline is useful:

• discount stores offer cheaper staple groceries;
• traditional supermarkets offer a wider selection and more fresh-food departments;
• hypermarkets and shopping centres combine groceries with household goods;
• bakeries, markets and farm shops offer fresh and seasonal produce;
• international shops stock familiar foods from particular cuisines.

Supermarkets and discount stores

At the entrance to a German supermarket, you will often find trolleys locked together. To take one, insert a coin—usually €1 or €2—or a special token. After shopping, return the trolley to the row, attach the chain to the lock and get the coin back. It is not a fee but a deposit that helps prevent trolleys from being left in the car park.

At checkout, payment is usually possible in cash and by card. Large chains more often accept Girocard, Debit Mastercard, Visa Debit, credit cards and mobile payments, but cash can still be useful in small shops, bakeries and markets. Many people still use the old everyday term EC-Karte, though technically they usually mean Girocard.

Discount stores: Aldi, Lidl, Penny, Netto

Discount stores are suitable for regular shopping: milk, bread, eggs, grains, vegetables, household chemicals and frozen food. Their selection is more compact than at large supermarkets, but prices are often lower and own brands occupy many shelves.

Aldi, Lidl, Penny and Netto are generally considered discount stores. They are a good choice if you need to put together a week’s basket quickly and cheaply. Modern discount stores also offer organic products, vegetarian alternatives, lactose-free items and seasonal deals, although the selection still depends on the particular branch.

Supermarkets: Rewe, Edeka, Kaufland, Globus

Rewe and Edeka are more often seen as supermarkets with a wider choice: more brands, prepared food, fresh-food departments, regional products and organic ranges. Kaufland and Globus are closer to the format of a large store or hypermarket, making them convenient for a major shop, household goods and promotional items.

In cheese, deli meat, meat or fish departments, goods are often sold from a service counter. You need to wait your turn, name the product and specify the quantity in grams. The employee will slice it, package it and attach a price label; you pay for it with the rest of your shopping at checkout.

Older lists of German chains sometimes still mention Real, but it is better not to treat it as a current chain when planning your shopping: the format and signage of former branches have changed considerably in recent years.

Organic and premium segment

Germany has many products marked Bio. This is not just an advertising word: organic products have separate rules and labels, such as the EU-Bio-Logo. Ordinary supermarkets also have organic ranges, but specialist shops such as denn’s Biomarkt or Alnatura usually offer a larger selection.

Organic products are often more expensive than standard ones, but the difference depends on the category. Sometimes the premium is small, while at other times the price is noticeably higher, especially for meat, dairy products, coffee, nuts and prepared goods.

You can return empty bottles at machines like these in Germany.

Pfand: how to return bottles and cans

Pfand is a container deposit. When buying a drink, the customer pays not only for the product but also a deposit for the bottle or can. The deposit is refunded after the empty container is returned.

Supermarkets have Leergutautomat or Pfandautomat machines for this purpose. Insert bottles and cans one at a time, usually bottom first. Once all containers have been accepted, press the button to print a receipt. Hand the receipt over at checkout: its value will be deducted from your purchase or, depending on the shop, paid out in cash.

Insert empty containers bottom first into the Pfand machine. There is a language selection on the display.

In practice, the following amounts are most common:

• single-use plastic bottles and cans bearing the DPG/Pfand logo: €0.25;
• reusable glass beer bottles: often €0.08;
• reusable bottles for water, soft drinks and some other beverages: often €0.15;
• beverage crates have a separate deposit that depends on the type of crate and bottles.

Not every container is accepted by every machine. Single-use containers with the German Pfand logo can generally be returned at many shops selling the same type of product. Reusable bottles and crates can sometimes be returned more easily where similar drinks are sold, or at a Getränkemarkt. German machines generally do not accept bottles purchased abroad.

This symbol marks cans and bottles that can be returned to a shop for €0.25.

Bakeries, markets and farm products

Bakeries are a distinct part of everyday life in Germany. People buy bread, rolls, Brezel, pastries, sandwiches and coffee there. Bakery bread is usually more expensive than supermarket baked goods, but the taste and freshness are often noticeably better.

Small bakeries may open early in the morning and close earlier than supermarkets. Some bakeries open for a few hours on Sundays, but this is not a universal rule: schedules depend on the federal state and the specific shop.

For seasonal produce, look at markets and farm shops. You can buy vegetables, fruit, honey, cheese, meat, eggs, flowers and juices there. In some regions, self-service fields are popular: you can pick strawberries, raspberries, apples or flowers yourself and pay on site.

Useful German searches for finding these places include:

• Erdbeeren selbst pflücken + city or region;
• Blumen selber schneiden + city or region;
• Hofladen + city or region;
• Wochenmarkt + district or city.

Check the farm’s website before travelling: the season, opening hours and available harvest can change because of the weather.

International grocery shops

In Germany’s larger cities, it is easy to find Turkish, Arab, Asian, Balkan, Polish, Ukrainian and Russian-speaking shops. Turkish supermarkets often have a good selection of vegetables, herbs, spices, bread, pulses and meat. Asian shops are where people buy rice, noodles, sauces, tofu, frozen convenience foods and products unavailable in ordinary supermarkets.

Among Russian-speaking chains and shops, Mix-Markt and Kalinka are common. They stock familiar products such as plombir ice cream, halva, condensed milk, caviar, gingerbread, pickles, grains and sweets. The selection depends on the city and deliveries, so it is best to check for rare items in advance.

Where to buy clothing, furniture and electronics

In Germany, people buy goods at shopping centres, on high streets, in outlets, furniture stores and online. C&A, H&M, Zara, Uniqlo and similar chains are often chosen for basic clothing. dm, Rossmann and Müller are convenient for cosmetics and household chemicals. Electronics are sold at MediaMarkt, Saturn, Cyberport and online shops. Furniture and household goods are often bought at Ikea, Höffner, XXXLutz, Poco, Roller or on marketplaces.

Shopping centres

Shopping centres in Germany are usually laid out predictably: clothing, shoes, cosmetics, a pharmacy or drugstore, electronics, cafés, sometimes a supermarket and parking. In large cities, they are convenient when you need to buy many different things in one place.

Well-known shopping centres include:

• Olympia Einkaufszentrum in Munich;
• Westfield CENTRO in Oberhausen;
• Ruhr Park in Bochum;
• Gropius Passagen and Mall of Berlin in Berlin;
• Main-Taunus-Zentrum near Frankfurt;
• MyZeil in Frankfurt am Main.

This is not a closed list: every region has its own Einkaufszentrum, Arkaden, Galerie or Center.

Outlets

Outlets are suitable for buying clothing, shoes, sports goods, accessories and items from previous collections. They are often outside cities, so check transport, parking, opening hours and the brand list before travelling.

Well-known outlets include:

• Outletcity Metzingen;
• Designer Outlet Berlin;
• Ingolstadt Village;
• Designer Outlet Soltau;
• Designer Outlets Wolfsburg;
• Ochtum Park near Bremen.

Discounts at outlets do not guarantee the best price. It is useful to compare the online price before travelling, especially for an expensive purchase.

Online shopping in Germany

Online shopping has long been an ordinary part of life in Germany. People buy clothing, shoes, electronics, furniture, household appliances, children’s goods, cosmetics, books and household products online. Groceries can also be ordered online, but many people still choose ordinary supermarkets for everyday food: it is easier to check freshness, expiry dates and substitutions that way.

Popular platforms and shops include:

• Amazon and eBay: marketplaces for many categories;
• Zalando and About You: clothing and shoes;
• Otto: clothing, furniture, electronics and household goods;
• Ikea: furniture and home products;
• MediaMarkt and Saturn: electronics and household appliances;
• C&A, H&M, Zara: clothing;
• Temu: a marketplace for cheap goods where it is especially important to check quality, delivery times, returns and the seller.

Delivery is usually handled by DHL, Hermes, DPD, GLS, UPS, Amazon Logistics or the seller’s own service. For large appliances and furniture, you can often choose delivery to the apartment, carrying upstairs, installation, connection or removal of the old appliance, but these services are often charged separately.

Simple rules help with online shopping:

• check the Impressum and the delivery and return terms;
• see who the actual seller is on a marketplace;
• compare the price including delivery, not just the product price;
• keep the order confirmation and tracking number;
• check who pays for return shipping;
• be cautious of offers that are too cheap from unknown sellers.

If you use cashback systems, check the terms first: cashback may not be credited when using coupons, returning part of an order, or paying through the seller’s app.

Returning goods

For online purchases, consumers usually have 14 days for Widerruf, the right to withdraw from a contract without giving a reason. For goods, the period most often starts when the order is received, but there are exceptions: perishable products, custom-made goods, unsealed media or goods subject to hygiene restrictions may not qualify for the standard return right.

An important nuance: free return shipping is not an automatic rule for every online shop. The seller may cover the costs, but may also pass them on to the buyer if this was properly stated in advance in the terms. Therefore, open the Widerruf, Rückgabe or Retouren section before ordering.

In an ordinary shop, there is no general right to return a faultless product simply because you changed your mind. An exchange or return in an offline shop is usually the seller’s goodwill. Many chains allow 14, 30 or more days for returns under their own rules, but check the receipt or website for the conditions.

If a product is broken or does not match its description, this is no longer an ordinary “changed my mind” return, but a question of warranty, Gewährleistung or a complaint. Keep the receipt and correspondence with the seller for expensive electronics, furniture and children’s goods.

Trust-based shopping

Germany still has trust-based self-service formats: newspaper boxes, flower stands, fields for picking berries yourself, and small farm stalls with a cash box. This does not mean there is no oversight at all, but the idea is simple: the customer takes the goods and pays honestly.

Unattended newspaper sales at the entrance to a Munich underground station.

The same principle is visible in transport: the Munich underground has no ticket barriers, but you still need a ticket. Inspectors check passengers at random, and the fine for travelling without a ticket can be much more expensive than the fare.

A short checklist for your first shopping trips

Before your first major shopping trip in Germany, check:

• whether the shop is open today, especially if it is Sunday or a public holiday;
• whether you need a coin or token for the trolley;
• whether cards are accepted at a small shop or market;
• whether there is Pfand on bottles and where to return the containers;
• where the nearest dm, Rossmann, pharmacy, bakery and discount store are;
• who pays for returns on online orders;
• whether delivery to the apartment is available if you are buying furniture or electronics.

This makes it easier to avoid typical mistakes: arriving at a closed shop, having no cash at the market, throwing away Pfand bottles, or ordering a large item without delivery upstairs.