Supermarkets
German supermarkets fall into two groups with a clear price gap:
| Type | Chains | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Discounters | Aldi (Aldi Süd / Aldi Nord), Lidl, Penny, Netto | Mostly own brands, lowest prices, smaller range, weekly specials |
| Full-range supermarkets | Rewe, Edeka, Kaufland | Wider range, fresh counters, more brands; Kaufland is a hypermarket, good for big shops |
To save money, check each chain’s app for weekly offers and digital coupons (Lidl Plus, Rewe, Penny, Kaufland and others).
Asian supermarkets
Bigger cities have Asian supermarkets for soy sauce, rice, noodles, hot-pot base, frozen dumplings and more. Go Asia is a chain; most cities also have independent Asia-Markt / Chinese grocers. Prices are higher than regular supermarkets, but the range is much wider.
Household goods
- Drugstores: dm and Rossmann for toiletries, cleaning products, snacks and basic health items (over-the-counter medicine is mainly sold in pharmacies, Apotheke).
- Furniture: IKEA is where most newcomers furnish their room; for second-hand furniture try Kleinanzeigen.
- Electronics: MediaMarkt, Saturn.
- Cheap bits and pieces: discount chains such as Action and TEDi for storage, stationery and small tools.
Online shopping
| Platform | Good for |
|---|---|
| Amazon.de | Everything; Prime for fast delivery, students can start with a trial |
| Otto | German general retailer, strong on appliances and furniture |
| Zalando | Clothing and shoes |
| idealo | Price comparison — check before buying electronics |
| Kleinanzeigen | Second-hand: furniture, bikes, move-out sales; meeting in person is safer |
| Vinted | Second-hand clothing |
| eBay | Auctions, new and used |
| mydealz | Community-shared deals and voucher codes |
| Rewe delivery, Knuspr | Grocery delivery |
| Too Good To Go | Cheap surplus food from restaurants and bakeries |
Payment: German debit cards (Girocard), PayPal and credit cards are most common; many shops also let you pay by invoice after delivery (Kauf auf Rechnung).
Returns: online purchases (distance contracts with a business) usually come with a 14-day right of withdrawal, no reason needed. Who pays return shipping depends on the shop’s terms, and custom-made goods are among the exceptions.
Local rules
- Shops are mostly closed on Sundays and public holidays. Opening hours are set by each state; on weekdays shops typically open until about 20:00, and they open on Saturdays. On Sundays only shops in stations, airports and petrol stations, plus some bakeries, are open — stock up on Saturday.
- Bottle deposit (Pfand): single-use plastic bottles and cans with the deposit logo cost an extra €0.25. Return them at any shop selling the same kind of drink, using the return machine (Pfandautomat); the receipt is credited at the till. Reusable glass bottles carry a lower deposit, commonly €0.08 or €0.15.
- Bring a bag: supermarkets don’t give out free bags; paid bags are by the till.
- Checkout is fast: you’re expected to bag quickly — put everything back in the trolley and pack at the shelf next to the exit.