You have finally obtained a residence permit in Germany and moved to the city you have long dreamed of, and started settling into your new place. Undoubtedly, in the next few days you will need to buy groceries, and maybe some other goods that will help you quickly set up your household. And in this case, visiting a supermarket will be a very good idea.
Types of German supermarkets
There are many supermarkets in Germany – from giant 'monsters' like Globus, Kaufland, Real, where you can buy groceries, clothing, household appliances, and household goods and much more, to small stores that sell only food products. Also in Germany there is a separate type of supermarket, also common in Europe, but not yet common in our country – the discounter. Here the lowest prices, with product quality at the same level.
You will ask, what is the difference? Actually, it is only that many Germans consider it beneath their dignity to purchase too cheap goods – in their opinion, that is the prerogative of the underprivileged classes. What you personally do in this case is up to you. For example, if the launch of your German company was successful and you are earning a good income, you can shop for organic products at the Alnatura market, which specializes in food grown without the use of chemicals, fertilizers, and genetic modification. They cost three times more than regular products and are considered the 'right' choice in the modern quest for environmental purity.
Let us dwell a little more on discounters. For price comparison, you can take, for example, potatoes, which in a discounter market will cost one and a half euros, while a kilogram of exactly the same potatoes in a more prestigious store (which, recall, does not affect product quality; most of the brands represented are found in supermarkets of any level) already costs two and a half euros. Among discounters, it is believed that the Penny chain supermarkets sell good fruits, and at Lidl it is advantageous to buy vegetables, meat, semi-finished products, yogurts, and seafood. Aldi is famous for its household goods, table water, snacks, and various useful little things.
Spending time in the supermarket usefully, but also pleasantly
The already mentioned hypermarkets (because each of these stores is no longer a supermarket, but a genuine shopping center) Globus, Kaufland and Real are useful not only because you can buy practically everything you need for the household, including appliances and clothing, but also because they offer the opportunity to sit in local cafes, have a snack, and relax either before or after going through the shopping aisles. Many fast-food outlets in such large supermarkets have very tasty food, especially their confectionery. And in the stores themselves, it is advantageous and convenient to buy meat and cheese products (not packaged, but sold from counters) – they are very tasty, good quality, and relatively inexpensive. Moreover, Germans have a tradition of treating children, so your little one might be given a piece of cheese or smoked sausage.
Germans usually go shopping on Saturdays, and on Sundays they buy the things they didn't have time or forgot to buy the day before. This schedule is explained by the fact that for many years until recently, absolutely all stores closed around 6 p.m. That is, working people simply did not have time to shop on weekdays.
Today, supermarkets are open much longer – some until nine, some until ten in the evening. But the established tradition does not change: Saturday is shopping day. So be prepared, when going shopping on that day, that stores will be packed with people.
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