Germany: Retail Foods

Germany is by far the biggest market for food and beverages in the European Union. The food retail sector is saturated, highly consolidated, and competitive. There is good sales potential on the German market for U.S. exporters of nuts, fish and seafood products, distilled spirits, wine, and food preparations. While e-commerce sales grew during the pandemic, online purchases across different product categories decreased in 2022. However, online grocery sales still recorded an increase. The war in Ukraine raised prices for energy, feed, and fertilizer, and subsequently groceries. As a result, many German consumers have cut back spending even on essential products.