Grabbing the BEST Grocery Deals in Germany!

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So here's a post to help you grab the best grocery deals in Germany. We are always looking out for offers and discounts to reduce our regular grocery shopping bills by a couple of euros. Hey, don't judge! Every penny saved is a penny earned ;)

best deals

Overview

So, if you live in Germany, you will be all too familiar with the fact that every week, supermarkets and stores offer varying offers and discounts. This information will usually be delivered to you by post in the form of catalogs. Mostly, it’ll be on the weekend, so that you have time to browse through and plan your purchases for the next week. The store list includes Edeka, Rewe, Marktkauf, ALDI, Netto, K+K among others. Alternatively, you can visit their website for the same. Remember that offers are specific to store locations, so choose your location correctly.

Links

The below websites/apps lets you see all these brochures at one place, so it is easier for you to choose and compare.They cover clothing, furniture, drug marts, travel and other businesses too.

  1. Mein Prospekt
  2. Kauf da

If you are one that values the environment and believe in zero waste policy. Below are three great apps for you. In a nutshell, these apps connect supermarkets and restaurants for edible food that would otherwise be binned. You can browse and choose what food you are interested in, and get it for a lower price. This is a great initiative to tackle food waste.

  1. OLIO
  2. RESQ Club
  3. Too Good To Go

If you are living in Berlin, a visit to Sirplus will give you access to discounted products too.

For those who can’t be bothered with all of the above and prefer quick trips to the supermarkets, this one is for you.

Regular Supermarkets

  1. Edeka
  2. Rewe
  3. Kaufland

Discount Supermarkets

  1. Aldi
  2. Netto
  3. Lidl
  4. Penny

Shopping at discount supermarkets will definitely save you of 10-20% of your total bill than in regular supermarkets.

Is it true?

Well, it depends. Regular supermarkets stock up products in a number of brands including their own in-house brands, which are usually the cheapest of the lot. If you shop at a regular supermarket, but pick up only the in-house brand products (eg. Ja for Rewe, Gut & Gunstig for Edeka etc.), you’ll probably end up with a lower spend than when shopping at discount supermarkets. So, it’s a gamble.

Quality?

There’s no doubt that you get what you pay for. Cheaper products may not be of the best quality, but will serve the purpose. Some may prefer to shop at regular markets for better quality fresh fruit & veg, but wouldn’t mind buying cheaper cleaning agents. I believe it’s a personal choice, best done when tried & tested.

What about Indian Groceries?

Although some supermarkets may house basics like rice, lentils and a few spices, it is better to visit nearby Indian/Asian stores to buy Indian Groceries. It is because these products will be overpriced at the regular/ discount supermarkets and you will get better variety and a whole different range of Indian products at Asian stores. In Germany, Afro-Asian stores are most common source for Indian groceries. Turkish/ Lebanese stores also offer a few things like lentils, rice and spices and fresh herbs and meat.

For local shops visit our shops directory

Do you know of any other tips? Let us know with a comment below :slight_smile:

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nice post @Gail_Madonna @Indians_in_Germany

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Review on Too Good To Go

So, although I’ve heard of these Apps that tackle food-waste, I never really used them until recently. Thanks to the rising prices of basic commodities, I decided to try Too Good To Go.
The app lets customers buy and collect Surprise Bags of food, at a great price, directly from the business. It is really a HIT or MISS situation, and so if surprises are not your thing, then you are better off without this app. I have tried 4 different places i.e. 2 bakeries & 2 restaurants and these are my take-aways.

Ups:

  1. Value for money - Most times you pay half or less than the actual value of goods. So for a bag from this one bakery, I paid 3 Euros for a loaf of Artisan Bread, 1 Chocolate Pastry and 4 small baked goods. At full price, the pastry alone would cost me around 3 euros.
  2. It is not trash - Although the food isn’t like fresh out of the oven, it is still of good quality. Definitely not expired stuff. Remember, half the time, places offer food on these apps to maintain the quatlity.
  3. Quantity of food - May not always cover one meal. Even if you order from the same place, the quantity varies depending on what they have to offer. Also, sometimes it may be all savoury and sometimes all sweet. So it may not make up your complete meal, if that’s what you had in mind.
  4. Not Boring - It’s a chance to experiment and try new food. Maybe not always, but sometimes you may end up with stuff that you wouldn’t usually order.
  5. Food Choices - Hurray ! The App lets you choose Vegetarian/ Vegan options. Also, you can choose between Meals, Groceries, Baked Goods and others.

Downs:

  1. Fixed Pick-up Time - If you miss the pick-up time, bid goodbye to your surprise bag.
  2. Allergies - Since there’s no option to specify allergies, this could be a problem if you have specific dietary requirements.
  3. Truly a surprise - The App gives you an idea of what to expect but it doesn’t let users leave reviews or comments specifying the contents of the bag.

Final Thoughts
Definitely worth a try! Popular Stores get Sold Out very quickly. So, it’s always a good idea to book one, the day before. Definitely take a look at the reviews and the top USP of the stores. It’ll give you an idea as to what to expect. Have no high expectations, and you might be pleasantly surprised.

All in all, you know on those days, where you asked your partner, “What would you like to eat?” and the answer comes right back, “Anything!”. Well, Too Good To Go, is the perfect choice for such days. So, choose to save the planet and get a surprise bag !

PS: This is not an affiliate post/ review.

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