Why fear when your food-guide is here? Your guide for grocery shopping in Germany From Internationals to Internationals PREFACE Dear International Students, We are an international student project team from the “International Food Business and Consumer Studies” Master Program. The first time food shopping in Germany, we all faced challenges at the food retailers, such as trying to find something from our region. That’s why we have collected information about international stores, food products, shopping tips and dictionary, digitalization offers and labelling in this booklet to help you to get familiarized with the food shopping in Germany. Our best wishes for the upcoming semester and lots of fun discovering new food! Sincerely, Your international IFBC mates (2019) Your guide for grocery shopping in Germany 1 Your guide for grocery shopping in Germany 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface ....................................................................................................................... 1 Table of Contents ....................................................................................................... 3 Tips for Grocery Shopping .......................................................................................... 4 Digital Offers ............................................................................................................... 5 Stop Confusion ........................................................................................................... 6 Numbers, Codes, Signs and Seals ........................................................................... 14 Shopping Dictionary ................................................................................................. 16 International Stores in Fulda and Kassel .................................................................. 17 References ............................................................................................................... 19 Imprint....................................................................................................................... 21 Your guide for grocery shopping in Germany 3 TIPS FOR GROCERY SHOPPING Opening Hours • Always check them in advance • Most shops are closed on Sundays and public holidays • Convenience stores at gas or train stations open late (for emergencies) Trolleys • Deposit a coin to unlock (0.5, 1 or 2 €) Checkout • Place the separators on the conveyor bands before and after your groceries Packing • Bring your own bags • Pack yourself Save Money • Look for the lower prices at the bottom of the shelves • Use newsletters to compare prices, find discounts and catch special weeks Returnable Bottles • Return glass, cans and plastic bottles with the "Pfandflasche" logo and get money back Get Cash • Withdraw money from the cashier as at an ATM (only available in some supermarkets) Check our video → LINK Your guide for grocery shopping in Germany 4 DIGITAL OFFERS Websites and Online Brochures The food retailers’ websites offer different information and services to the customers. The food retailers use online brochures or “online-prospekt”, also called “Magazin” to advertise their weekly discount offers and “special weeks” such as Asian week, Italian week, Spanish week, et cetera. Loyalty Cards The food retailers that offer loyalty cards are: Edeka, Netto, Penny, Rewe and Tegut. Some cards are used to gather points, which can be exchanged to get a price reduction for food and also non-food products. For further information see the food retailers’ websites. Online Shopping Some food retailers offer online shopping for food and non-food products. Rewe offers online shopping for various packaged and non-perishable food products through their website. However, other food retailers, namely Penny, Aldi, Lidl and Norma, only offer non-food products to be purchased online. Mobile Apps and Social Media Nowadays, our favourite food retailers are one click or tweet away through their very own mobile app and social media. The mobile apps are available to be downloaded through Play Store or Apple Store. Online Recipes Are you confused what to cook or how to use some ingredients? – No worries because some of your food retailers have recipes available on their website or in the supermarkets. Your guide for grocery shopping in Germany 5 STOP CONFUSION Dairy Products Yoghurt is fermented milk by lactic Quark is a kind of unripened cheese, which bacteria. These bacteria develop lactic acid is made with rennet or coagulation enzymes from the lactose present in the milk. In from the milk. There are also different types Germany there are different types of of Quark in Germany according to the fat Yoghurt depending on its fat content (1.5 % content (Magerstufe = low fat, 10 %, 20 % or 3.5 %) or with the addition of fruit and 30 %). components. Saure Sahne (Sour Schmand is Crème Fraiche is Schlagsahne Cream) is solid cream another variation of also another (Whipping Cream) that is fermented with “Saure Sahne” that variation of also sometimes called lactic bacteria and has has a higher fat “Saure Sahne” “Süße Sahne” (Sweet at least 10 % of fat. It is content of 20-24 % but the fat Cream). It is liquid and often used as an and is more solid. content is even has at least 30 % fat ingredient for cold It does not higher than the content. dishes, for example for flocculate if it is one of “Schmand” dips. It flocculates if it mixed with hot (30-40 %). It also is mixed with hot dishes. does not dishes. flocculate if it is mixed with hot dishes. Your guide for grocery shopping in Germany 6 Allgäuer Emmentaler Bergkäse Butterkäse is a Gouda is originated is a type of hard The name of type of semi-hard from Gouda, cheese that has a mild “Bergkäse” literally cheese. The Netherlands. Young nutty taste and has means mountain name of gouda cheese has a cherry-sized holes. cheese. The taste “Butterkäse” is mild and buttery taste, This cheese is legally of this cheese derived from the while mature gouda protected and can only varies from mild taste of the cheese has a more be labelled as” and aromatic to cheese that has a piquant taste. Gouda Allgäuer Emmentaler” bold and tart creamy and cheese has great when it is produced in depending on the buttery taste. meltability properties the Allgäu Alps region. age of the cheese. and it is often used for fondue, gratins and sauces. Limburger cheese Altenburger Camembert is a Edamer is originated originated from Ziegenkäse type of soft from Edam, Limburg region in literally means goat cheese, which Netherlands. It is a Belgium. This cheese cheese, since has a slightly type of hard cheese is made from originally the tangy and nutty that was originally pasteurized cow´s milk cheese was made taste. Germany´s produced from raw with a 20-60 % fat from goat´s milk. version of milk. The German content. Limburger camembert is version of edamer Nowadays, the cheese is a type of soft milder than the cheese contains cheese is made cheese that has a French version. between 30-50 % fat. strong and spicy taste. from the mixture of Young edamer cheese Because of the strong cow´s and goat´s does not have a tangy aroma, this cheese is milk. This cheese taste, while mature often called “Stinkkäse” can only be edamer has a lightly or stinky cheese. produced in tangy taste. Thüringen, Germany. Your guide for grocery shopping in Germany 7 EGGcelent choice! Bodenhaltung (barn Freilandhaltung Bio (organic Coloured Eggs eggs) - the laying (free-range eggs) - the number are mostly boiled hens live in a closed husbandry) - the of animals is eggs, which are barn where they can laying hens have limited to 6 hens ready to eat. move freely. The barn access an outdoor per square metre can be arranged on up area of 4 m² per hen of usable stable to four levels. A during the day, in area,18 cm perch maximum of 9 hens in addition to the stable. and at least 4 one square meter of Free range eggs have square metres of usable stable area are the identification outdoor area per permitted. The number 1. hen. Only organic identification number feed is permitted. is 2. The identification number is 0. Vegetables Festkochend is a type of Vorwiegend Festkochend is Mehligkochend is a type potato that has the least a type of potato that contains of potato that has the most amount of starch compared more starch compared to the starch compared to the to the other types and has a “Festkochend“ type. It has a other types. It has the firm texture. This type of softer texture when it is softest texture and it is potato is normally used for cooked. Usually this type of usually used for potato salad, fried potato and potato is used for boiled puree. gratin. potatoes. Peeled tomato Chopped tomato Tomato puree (Passierte (Geschälte Tomaten) is (Tomaten Stücke) are Tomaten) is considered as whole tomatoes, which tomatoes that are cut into tomato sauce or concentrate that keep their initial shape small sections with a contains no less than 7 % of after processing. regular thickness. natural total soluble solids. Your guide for grocery shopping in Germany 8 Meat Leberwurst is a Fleischwurst Mettwurst is a type of Salami is made creamy sausage (Bologna uncooked sausage from finely minced made from liver. The Sausage) is a firm made from ground pork, bacon and sausage is usually sausage made pork and finely beef. It is usually used as a spread for from cured pork, chopped beef, and sold in thin slices or bread. bacon and usually people in a whole. There sometimes beef. consume it raw. The are different types The sausage