Stay ahead of the curve and future-proof your business with Mintel’s Germany Online Grocery Retailing Market Report 2024. Our full report is packed with consumer-led market intelligence, online grocery retail trends in Germany, and consumer behaviours. Get a 360° view of online grocery shopping Germany including the German online grocery retailing market size and a growth forecast to help you align your business strategy with the needs of your audience.
Below, we’ve handpicked the key insights analysed in the full report and summarised the core topics.
Our Report Delivers Key Insights On
- The short-, medium- and long-term development of the German online grocery retailing market, including market drivers and expert insights.
- How German consumers shop for groceries online and how they typically receive their groceries.
- Retailers used for online grocery shopping Germany and factors that would make shoppers choose one retailer over another.
- Products typically bought by German consumers when shopping for groceries online.
- Consumer perception of online grocery shopping Germany, highlighting existing concerns about quality.
- How your business can tap into opportunities to increase your German online grocery retailing market share.
Current Market Outlook on Online Grocery Shopping Germany
According to Mintel’s Germany online grocery retailing report, higher earners, who are the primary demographic for online shopping, are sustaining demand and will increase brands’ focus on convenience. A broader financial recovery is expected to empower consumers across the board, making them more inclined to invest in convenience for relief from their busy schedules.
Nevertheless, 2024 will be a challenging year. Brands will have to convince consumers of the added value of online grocery shopping. Especially given the prevailing concerns over receiving lower-quality items, reinforcing consumers’ reluctance towards online grocery shopping.
Online Grocery Shopping Germany: What Consumers Want and Why
24% of German consumers believe that shopping online for groceries helps them save money. Despite the general perception that online grocery shopping leads to extra costs, such as delivery fees, and is therefore more expensive, retailers can attract price-conscious consumers by emphasising the convenience and budgeting benefits of shopping online.
- German Online Grocery Retailing Market Share: Rewe takes the lead in the traditional online grocery market in Germany with its familiar selection and flexible delivery and pricing options. Mintel’s Germany online grocery retailing report also shows that the share of online grocery shoppers has been gradually increasing. Modern loyalty schemes, including AI-driven meal planning, will boost loyalty among consumers and help them integrate online grocery shopping into their into daily routines.
- German Online Grocery Retailing Market Size: A long-term growth of 11% is forecasted for the online grocery retailing market between 2024 and 2028.
More About This Report
This Report examines the online grocery retailing market in Germany. It combines analysis of the German market, including market sizes, German online grocery retailing market share, and forecasts for consumer spending on food and drink online, as well as online grocery retailers’ sales. Mintel’s in-depth consumer data also analyses shoppers’ behaviours in Germany.
This report includes:
- Online services of mainstream and omni-channel retailers, such as Rewe and Edeka
- Rapid delivery services that are characterised by their business model offering fast deliveries within minutes, such as Flink
- Other online grocery retailers that are neither omni-channel/mainstream nor rapid delivery services, such as Picnic or flaschenpost, and recipe box services like HelloFresh
Meet The Expert
This report, written by Lena Rittmann, Analyst, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight online grocery shopping trends in Germany and add expert context to the numbers.
As German consumers’ attention shifts to convenience as their financial pressures ease, there are significant growth opportunities for brands in the online grocery sector.
Lena Rittmann
Analyst
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- The five year outlook for online grocery retailing
- Market context
- Financial strains and return to in-store shopping reduces e-commerce, but online grocery retailing proves more resilient
- Graph 1: annual growth of turnover of goods in ecommerce, 2021-23
- High grocery costs strain German budgets, prompting selective buying
- Graph 2: changes in the consumer price and food price index, compared to the previous year month, 2023-24
- High grocery costs strain German budgets, prompting selective buying
- Mintel predicts
- Online grocery shopping poised for growth amid eased financial pressures and improved shopping experiences
- Retailers can grow by responding to the increasing need for flexibility and convenience
- Opportunities
- Tap into increasing responsibility for grocery shopping among men
- Graph 3: online grocery shoppers, NET, by gender and age, 2024
- Broaden product offerings to enable comprehensive online shopping
- Elevate online grocery shopping with customised food concepts
- Address quality concerns to eliminate consumer fears and foster positive experiences
- Graph 4: associations with online grocery shopping, by online grocery shoppers and those who have never shoppers for groceries online, 2024
- The competitive landscape
- Rewe leads the traditional online grocery market
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MARKET DRIVERS
- The German economy
- 2024 is expected to remain challenging
- Graph 5: key economic data, in real terms, 2019-25
- The inflation rate is bouncing back to more conventional levels
- Inflation is still the key factor affecting consumers’ finances…
- …confidence and expenditure
- Graph 6: financial confidence index, 2022-24
- High grocery prices continue to put pressure on German budgets…
- Graph 7: changes in the consumer price and food price index, compared to the previous year month, 2022-24
- …and drive selective shopping habits
- Development of online retailing
- eCommerce sales decline post-pandemic but online grocery proves more resilient
- Graph 8: annual growth of turnover of goods in ecommerce, 2021-23
- Convenience as a driver of choice
- Convenience continues to impact daily life tasks, with a focus on more flexibility
- Consumer spending on food
- Consumer spending on food and drink continues to rise
- Graph 9: consumer spending on groceries, beverages and tobacco products, incl. VAT, 2018-23
- AI and personalisation
- Artificial intelligence can elevate the in-app experience of online grocery retailers
- Leverage AI to deliver a more personalised online grocery experience
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Market activity
- Market size and forecast
- After years of growth, online grocery experienced its first sales decline
- Graph 10: online grocery retail sales, 2018-24
- Online grocery sector will remain stable in 2024
- The online grocery sector is set to grow
- The future of online grocery is uncertain but further development of supply can drive consumer interest
- Market segmentation
- The German online grocery market is fragmented
- The exit of Getir and Gorillas from Germany gives Flink the market leadership in quick-delivery…
- Rapid delivery face challenges in scaling the business, but opportunities remain
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WHAT CONSUMERS WANT AND WHY
- Who shops online for groceries
- Target the untapped potential of online grocery shopping
- Graph 11: use of online shopping, NET, 2024
- Persistent increase in German online grocery shoppers with minimal drop-offs
- Graph 12: use of online shopping, NET, 2021-24
- Online grocery shopping is popular as an additional convenience…
- … but the online share of grocery shopping is growing
- Graph 13: online grocery shopping behaviour, 2023-24
- Small towns and villages in Germany hold potential for online grocery shopping
- Address financial barriers to online grocery shopping
- Graph 14: use of online shopping, by net monthly household income, 2024
- Men’s rising responsibility for grocery shopping drives online channel
- Graph 15: online grocery shoppers, NET, by gender and age, 2024
- Online grocery shopping is a popular choice for busy families…
- …but retailers must not overlook the demand from growing single households
- How consumers receive their groceries
- Increase coverage with more flexible delivery options
- Click-and-collect offers flexibility to shoppers and upselling opportunities to retailers
- Retailers used for online grocery shopping
- Traditional supermarkets are most popular to shop with online
- Graph 16: retailers typically used for online grocery shopping, 2024
- Cater to fast, small-basket delivery demands by offering it as a premium service
- Graph 17: consumers who shopped with rapid delivery services, by age, 2022-24
- Integrating seamless online and offline experiences for Germany’s loyal online shoppers
- Graph 18: repertoire analysis of retailers used for online grocery shopping, 2024
- Tap into the diverse needs of families
- Enhance appeal of subscription recipe boxes as economical dining alternatives
- Groceries bought online
- German online grocery shoppers prioritise cupboard items and non-perishables
- Graph 19: types of products typically bought when shopping for groceries online, 2024
- Overcoming the hurdles of online fresh food shopping outside of big cities
- Leverage special bundle offers to diversify shopping baskets
- Graph 20: repertoire analysis of types of products typically bought when shopping for groceries online, 2024
- Preferences when shopping for groceries online
- German online grocery shoppers seek diversity, avoiding inconvenience when switching between online retailers
- Expand product ranges to facilitate online one-stop shopping
- Choice and flexibility fuel online grocery shopping
- Leverage premium, ultra-fast delivery services to attract higher-income shoppers
- Capitalise on modernised loyalty schemes to boost the share of online grocery shoppers
- Graph 21: factors that encourage consumers to shop with one grocery retailer over another, by shopping behaviour, 2024
- Take online grocery shopping to the next level with personalised food concepts
- Support families in making healthy and sustainable food choices
- Consumer perception of online grocery shopping
- Concerns about quality limit online grocery shopping
- Graph 22: consumer perception of online grocery shopping, 2024
- Boost customer confidence in online grocery shopping through attentive responses to quality concerns
- Making the necessary tweaks to access untapped potential
- Graph 23: top five associations with online grocery shopping, by consumers who have never shopped for groceries online, but would like to, 2023
- The convenience of online grocery shopping is particularly appealing to Germans aged 16-44 and to high earners
- Graph 24: “Online grocery shopping simplifies everyday life”, by net monthly household income, 2024
- Graph 25: “Online grocery shopping simplifies everyday life”, by age, 2024
- Reduce financial barriers that keep consumers from discovering the convenience of online services
- flaschenpost highlights the importance of valuing consumers’ free time
- Underpin how online shopping can support budgeting
- Connect with seniors in person to showcase the benefits of shopping online
- Cater to younger shoppers with a more social and personal shopping experience
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Retailer activity
- Leading retailer
- Rewe’s online service champions flexibility
- Picnic broadens its scope with new territories and product categories
- Flink relies on app partners to increase reach
- HelloFresh experiences margin pressure, and engages young audiences with influencer marketing
- Retail innovation
- Rewe introduces weekly free delivery day
- Aldi starts test phase of delivery service in the Ruhr area
- Rewe is diligently pursuing innovations in online groceries and testing autonomous deliveries
- The testing phase for Rewes’ autonomous shopping baskets begins in Hamburg
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APPENDIX
- Appendix – abbreviations, consumer research methodology and language usage
- Products covered in this Report
- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
- A note on language
- Appendix – TURF analysis methodology
- TURF analysis methodology
- Appendix – repertoire analysis methodology
- Repertoire analysis methodology
- Appendix – market size and forecast
- Forecast methodology
- Forecast methodology – fan chart
- Market size – value
- Market forecast and prediction intervals – value
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