Shopping in Germany

Well, this was one of the first things we learned about life in Germany….shopping is different. “How so?”, you might ask:

For starters, lets take the opening hours. Generally speaking, stores (that includes supermarkets, department stores, antique shops, cleaners, post office, bakeries, specialty shops, etc.) are open Monday through Saturday…no shopping on Sunday. Stores are open from 10 am – 8 pm, which includes grocery stores. Specialty shops may only be open till 4 or 5 pm on Saturday afternoons. Bakeries usually close in the afternoon, but are now open on Sunday mornings. In other words, there are several different guidelines and one just has to learn through trial and error. Apparently, German law prohibits stores from being open on Sundays. Interestingly enough, it is supposed to protect the small business owner, apparently to provide him/her protection in the competitive arena…. Hmmm.

One of the biggest differences in our routines thus far, is that we “get up and go” on Saturday mornings. Otherwise, you won’t be able to get your errands done, your food purchased for the weekend, etc. Now, the flip side is that you have Sundays to spend time with family and friends, because you can’t do any shopping or run any errands…guess that is not a bad thing…I do miss those all-night markets in Asia, though.

With that said, there are always exceptions to the rule, to which we cannot yet figure out why. First, there are these quaint stores known as “Trinkhalles” that sell tobacco, beverages, and magazines. They also sell a few basic items like milk, bread, diet coke (I learned that one early on), etc. Sorta like convenience stores…think of the German equivalent to the “mom and pop” small-town corner markets. Another quirk in this rule, is that there are supermarkets in the main train stations that apparently can be open on Sundays. So, if you get in a real pinch, you can always go there for an emergency food run…

Before you have visions of HEB, Kroger, Target, or even Wal-Mart, hold those thoughts…2 of the 3 grocery stores in my immediate area are about half the size of Eckerd’s. (Yes, I know Eckerd’s does not exist anymore, but that is a development since my departure from the US). The stores have a surprising amount of items for their size, but you will rarely see more than 2-3 types of any item. Forget the 25 different cereal choices, or the 15 different types of toothpaste…does make shopping easier with so few choices.

Now, let me get to the issue of sales tax. There is a 16% consumption tax on nearly everything in Germany…that includes food, goods, and services, etc. That is double to what you have in the DFW area. Prices for food seem to be a bit more than in the US, but we are constantly amazed…things we would expect to be pricey rarely are; things we expect to be cheap are not. With that said, you buy what you need for a few days at a time, so as not to have spoilage, plus, the cabinet space is kitchen is quite limited so where would you store it anyway…

Be sure and bring your sacks/bags with you to pack your groceries, otherwise, you’ll be buying your plastic bags (same in Taiwan). I must confess it is quite quaint to see all the women doing their shopping carrying their straw and wicker hampers….seems very nostalgic to me. You can tell I am the foreigner because I am the gal carrying the red Costco sacks with Chinese lettering on them…they serve the purpose, though…