food industry in Germany

Food Industry in Germany: Consumer Insights and Preferences

Transparent, sustainable, and affordable products combining global flavors with local trust will win consumers

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Food Industry Trends in Germany: Consumer Insights and Preferences

21 August, 2025 – Different types of factors affect how German consumers approach the 39 different categories of food and beverage products. Some factors are global while others are specific to the category. In this report, five different groupings are considered: beverages, staple items, ingredients to prepare meals, snacks and treats, and products for plant-based diets and special diets.

European Trends Affect German Consumer Attitudes

Across Europe, consumers worry most about the health of the planet. They are concerned about climate change and its effects on the food supply, economy, and personal health.  Many factors drive uncertainty in the German political environment, including the ongoing war in Ukraine, German and French elections, and tensions between the US and Europe.  Europe faces tensions around terrorism and security, immigration, and job insecurity. In consumer trends research, European consumers report concern about lack of good healthcare and affordable food that is healthy and nutritious. These factors describe the challenging European environment filled with consumer worry about health, personal finances, and affordability. Consumers want security and reassurance, and they expect companies to be honest and transparent. Technological advances may create insecurity, but they also encourage innovation.

Additional Factors Impact German Consumer Behavior

Health and wellness affect behaviors of German consumers because health is a priority. Health claims that appeal to them relate to more protein, less fat and sugar, organic, and no additives or preservatives. Innova Market Insights is tracking demand for clean label products, plant-based meals, less sugar, and no palm oil. German consumers want to balance convenience with affordability. Meals should be quick to prepare but also offer quality and nutrition at an attractive price. Sustainable and ethical food and beverage products offer eco-friendly choices to German consumers that use local, ethically-sourced ingredients and sustainable packaging. German consumers also favor a variety of flavors in the food industry in Germany. These can be familiar and traditional or bold and global.

Health is Important in Beverages

Consumer trends in Germany show that consumers are consuming less alcohol, although their alcohol purchasing exceeds global averages. Alcohol-free alternative beverages capture the interest of German consumers who are trying to live more healthily and drink mindfully. Alcoholic beverages – chosen for taste, flavor, brand, and cost – also are part of the German lifestyle but are impacted by changes in health and lifestyle. The German soft drink marketplace is impacted by consumer interest in less sugar and products that are natural and healthy. German consumers also consider flavor, brand, and cost of soft drinks. Health concerns affect the German market for bottled water. When choosing hot drinks, German consumers are swayed by cost, freshness, taste, and flavor. -They enjoy hot drinks for breakfast, mid-afternoon, and in the evening.

Food Industry in Germany

Pricing Impacts Purchases of Staple Items

In Germany, staple items include bread, breakfast cereals, dairy, meat, and fish. When purchasing bread and bread products, German consumers look for attractive cost, along with freshness and shelf life, and taste and flavor in whole grain and multi-grain products. These same features attract German consumers to breakfast cereals. Consumer trends in Germany show that consumers want cereals that have less sugar and fat, more fiber and protein, real and natural ingredients, organic, and no artificial flavors or colors. When shopping for dairy, and especially cheese, Germany consumers look for real ingredients and natural ingredients, local dairy sources, and reduced content of negative components such as fat and sugar. As with other food and beverage products, dairy purchase decisions in Germany are driven by taste and flavor, freshness, and cost. In the food industry in Germany, consumers consider freshness, cost, and taste when purchasing meat and fish. They want meat and fish that is natural, sourced locally, clean label, and nutrient-rich.

Several Features Impact Purchases of Component for Meal Prep

German consumers top the global average for meal preparation categories. When shopping, they consider taste and flavor, shelf life and freshness, brand, and cost. Claims that appeal to them in savory and sweet spreads include premium, natural and organic, no palm oil, and reduced sugar and fat. Many of these features also are essential to German consumers shopping for ready meals.

Seeking Clean Label Snacks and Treats

Consumer trends in Germany show that consumers care about clean label and nutrition claims, and also taste and flavor, cost, and brand, when purchasing snacks and treats. Diverse factors drive increased consumption of snacks and treats. Clean label and nutrition claims such as reduced sugar are especially important to consumers purchasing cereal bars and energy bars.

Environmental Concerns Drive Demand for Plant-Based

When shopping for foods for plant-based and special diets, German consumers value health claims, environmental friendliness, and ethical considerations. They are avid consumers of meat and dairy alternatives, where taste and flavor, health, cost, and freshness affect demand. Nutrition and functional claims appeal to consumers, led by high protein and reduced sugar and fat, in the food industry in Germany.

What’s Next for German Industry Trends?

German brands can direct efforts toward healthy and clean-label products with features that appeal to German consumers, namely, organic, free-from, and lower sugar and fat. In the food industry in Germany, plant-based and vegan alternatives appeal to health-conscious consumers. Clear, transparent labeling can build trust and help consumers make decisions. Brands need to support budget concerns without sacrificing convenience, time-saving, quality, or nutrition. Consumers look for a combination of value and convenience in ready meals, frozen foods, and private label. Maintain sustainable practices and ethical sourcing. This can include packaging that is recyclable, eco-friendly, and supporting of the environment. Features to build credibility can include local sourcing, transparency, and traceability. Include both local and global flavors. German consumers enjoy international flavors from Asia and the Middle East. They also are attracted to local, German flavors and products. Opportunity exists to combine local and global ingredients and flavors.

 

This article is based on Innova’s Category Growth Drivers in Germany report. This report is available to purchase or with an Innova Reports subscription. Reach out to find out more

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