Top 10 Supermarket Retail Chains In Germany

Updated July 17, 2024 11:38 AM By Editorial

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Top 10 Supermarket Retail Chains In Germany

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Germany is traditionally the economic powerhouse of Europe, however the German economy has faltered somewhat in recent months – on the back of a GDP decline at the end of last year, the IMF deemed Germany one of the worst performing major economies in the world.

Germany's inflation rate remained steady at 2.2% in June 2024, matching the rate from the previous year, according to the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis). This figure represents a slight decrease from May's 2.4% and is consistent with the rates in March and April, which also stood at 2.2%.

Commenting on the data, Ruth Brand, president of Destatis, noted that "Energy and food prices have been dampening the inflation rate since the beginning of the year. In contrast, we are continuing to observe above-average price increases for services."

Despite Germany hosting Euro 2024, there was no significant boost in business confidence resulting from the tournament. The ifo Business Climate Index showed a decline in sentiment in June, falling to 88.6 points from 89.3 in May. The drop was attributed to more pessimistic expectations among business owners, although their assessment of the current situation remained unchanged.

"The German economy is having difficulty overcoming stagnation," commented Clemens Fuest, president of the ifo Institute.

Interestingly, a previous study by the HDE retail association projected that the Euro 2024 football championship would generate an additional €3.8 billion in retail sales in Germany.

Consumer spending in Germany saw a year-on-year increase of 3.3% in the first quarter of 2024, reaching €97 billion in FMCG, tech, and durable products, according to the NIQ Retail Spend Barometer. Sales growth in the FMCG category was spurred by earlier Easter holidays and reduced consumer reluctance to buy. In contrast, the market for tech and durable products grew marginally by 0.1% compared to the first quarter of 2023.

Despite these positive spending trends, a significant portion of German consumers remain pessimistic about the future. A Mintel study earlier this year found that 61% of Germans fear a deterioration of the country's economy this year. Factors such as high energy prices, supply chain bottlenecks, and bureaucratic hurdles have contributed to low consumer sentiment, with 62% of respondents expecting a decline in the standard of living over the next decade.

Nevertheless, German-made products continue to be viewed as high quality by consumers, with 48% expressing confidence that 'Made in Germany' will remain a hallmark of excellence in the future.

Here's an overview of the top ten supermarket retail chains in Germany, according to their most recently-available full-year turnover. All data is supplied by Retail-Index.

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1. Edeka
Turnover: €66.2 billion (2022)

With a turnover of €62.7 billion in 2021, Edeka is the largest supermarket retail chain in Germany. Edeka operates several banners, including Edeka, Marktkauf, Netto, NP Niedrig-Preis, Diska and SPAR Express. Edeka has a network of 11,126 stores across the country as of this year.

In 2023, EDEKA and Netto Marken-Discount strengthened their position as leading employers in Germany. Over the course of the year, around 2,000 new jobs were created in the group, and 19,220 young people completed their training by the end of the year.

2. Lidl & Kaufland
Turnover: €51.03 billion (2022)

Lidl and Kaufland, both part of Germany's Schwarz Group, ranks second with a turnover of €51.03 billion in 2022. Combined, the two retailers operate 4,020 stores across Germany, with Lidl having 3,250 outlets and Kaufland boasting 770 stores.

In May, Gerd Chrzanowski, general partner at Schwarz Group, hailed Lidl and Kaufland's ability to continued to offer attractive prices in an inflationary environment, saying that the group's performance reflects "first and foremost our operational excellence across all fields of business and the impressive commitment of our employees. We solidified our position in difficult economic times and continued on our growth trajectory."

3. REWE
Turnover: €41.1 billion (2022)

With a turnover of €41.1 billion (as of 2022), REWE operates several banners, including nahkauf, Penny, REWE (Partners), REWE Ihr Kaufpark, REWE, REWE City, REWE Center, and REWE To Go.

REWE has a network of 6,725 stores in Germany, of which 2,150 are Penny outlets.

In April, REWE opened its first purely plant-based supermarket in Berlin, offering everything from organic vegetables to cheese and meat alternatives.

4. Aldi
Turnover: €30 billion (2022 – estimated)

Discounter Aldi (incorporating both Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd) reported an estimated turnover of €30 billion in 2022, putting it in fourth place on the list. It operates 4,215 stores across Germany.

Weekly price reductions of up to 50% and promotional offers on grocery products are currently part of the retailer's pricing strategy.

5. Lekkerland
Turnover: €8.5 billion (2022)

Lekkerland is a wholesale and retail company that operates in several European countries. In Germany, Lekkerland has a turnover of €8.5 billion and operates 52,400 stores, making it the market leader in terms of store count.

Since 2019, Lekkerland has been part of REWE Group. The business recently announced an extension of its partnership with forecourt operator Aral, until 2028.

6. Bela
Turnover: €5.2 billion (2022)

Bela, also known as Bartels-Langness Handelsgesellschaft, operates several banners, including Bela C&C, Famila, Markant, and Steiskal.

The company has a turnover of €5.2 billion and operates 201 stores across Germany, including 100 Familia stores.

7. Metro AG
Turnover: €4.71 billion (2022 – estimated)

With a heritage dating back to 1964, wholesale giant Metro AG boasted an estimated turnover of €4.71 billion (as of 2022) and operates 102 stores in Germany.

Metro operates in more than 30 countries. The store network comprises a total of 624 stores in 21 countries. Metro is currently in the process of reconstructing its Düsseldorf headquarters, a project that is scheduled for completion in 2026.

8. Norma
Turnover: €4.2 billion (2022 – estimated)

Discounter Norma boasts a portfolio of more than 1,450 stores across Germany and reported an estimated turnover of €4.2 billion in 2022. The retailer also has a presence in France, Austria and the Czech Republic.

Norma Group launched its global growth and efficiency programme, Step Up, in spring 2023. As of the first quarter of 2024, more than 1,300 individual measures have been identified, more than half of which are currently being implemented or have already been completed.

9. Globus
Turnover: €2.1 billion (2022 – estimated)

Globus is a hypermarket chain with a presence in several European countries, including Czechia, Luxembourg and Russia.

In Germany, the retailer boasts a turnover of €2.1 billion as of 2022, and operates 66 stores.

In April, Globus announced it will be teaming up with EnBW and Tesla to build charging parks at around 50 market hall locations by the end of 2024.

10. Hit Handelsgruppe
Turnover: €1.875 billion (2022)

Hit Handelsgruppe ranks tenth with a turnover of €1.875 billion in 2022, and 94 stores across Germany.

The retailer has been battling inflation in Germany by offering more than 1,000 new special offers every week.

Of course, this list only scratches the surface, with the German supermarket sector awash with both national and regional banners. Ranking just outside the top ten are retailers including Bünting, Tegut, Netto, Alnatura, V-Markt, K+K, Wasgau, Denn's Biomarkt and Lüning. Check www.retail-index.com for a full overview of Germany's supermarket landscape.

About Retail-Index

Retail-Index is a specialist supplier of management information on consumer retail markets, provided by Veraart Research Group in the Netherlands. Its mission is to supply managers with up-to-date key information on retail markets in Europe and support them in their international expansion.

The company dates back to 1964, when it started as a market research and marketing consulting company for consumer products and services. In 1989, it started publishing written reports on various retail sectors in Europe. As of 2005, it publishes its information on retailers through the online database and curated datasheet exports available on www.retail-index.com. A team of researchers manages the data to reflect upon current developments in the markets, collected from an extensive number of sources.