Shopping behaviour in the German food retail sector is changing fundamentally - not only due to transactional elements such as price awareness or digitalization, but also increasingly due to individual eating styles. Whether omnivorous, vegetarian or vegan: how people eat influences how often, where and with what expectations they shop. Plant-based diets in particular are gaining in importance, especially among young, urban consumers. This diet leads to a higher shopping frequency and greater use of organic stores and alternative formats. There is also an increased awareness of sustainability and digital services.
Representative survey explores our shopping behavior
The current edition of the Consumer Barometer sheds light on these changes based on a representative survey of 2,000 consumers. The study provides a comprehensive picture of the "who, what, where, how and why" of shopping with clear differentiations according to demographics and eating style. The result is a highly topical profile of German consumer realities in the food sector that goes far beyond traditional market trends.
A look at key findings
- Almost three quarters of the population follow either an omnivorous (57.5%) or flexitarian (16.7%) diet.
- Vegans shop 3.37 times and vegetarians 3.11 times a week at food retailers - omnivores 2.70 times.
- Proximity (89.6 percent), value for money (87.6 percent) and breadth of range (84.8 percent) are the top factors when choosing where to shop.
- Supermarkets (80.6%) and discount stores (79.2%) dominate the overall frequency of visits, while organic food stores are particularly popular with vegans (48.4%) and vegetarians (36.2%).
- App discounts are used by 71.2% when preparing for shopping - traditional flyers are only used by 54.9%. Grocery delivery services are used by 21%.
- The traditional shopping list still plays a role for consumers (31.9%) - apps are catching up significantly, especially among younger consumers (35.7%).
Shopping as a mirror of social change
The study results show: Nutrition is no longer just a matter of taste. It is an expression of attitude, health and suitability for everyday life - and it changes the way we consume. For retailers and manufacturers, this opens up new possibilities for designing product ranges and addressing target groups
Discover the comprehensive findings in the latest Consumer Barometer.
Your contact
Stephan Fetsch
Partner, Deal Advisory, EMA und German Head of Retail & Consumer Goods
KPMG AG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft