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ZDF viewers grumble about supermarket prices: “Cheating humanity”

RUHR 24

ZDF has caused an uproar with its TV documentary on food prices. Four supermarkets are in the spotlight.

Mainz - The current ZDF documentary “Rewe, Edeka und Co. - Wer verdient an unseren Lebensmitteln?” focuses on pricing in German supermarkets. Customers complain about drastic price increases for basic foodstuffs.

Have the discounters kept their word?

ZDF

zdfheute

Two months ago, the discounters promised significant price reductions. Food has indeed become cheaper. However, customers are hardly likely to notice these price reductions.

There was no shortage of big words. The discounter Lidl announced the supposedly “biggest price reduction in its history” at the end of May. Aldi also promised a “clear signal” and reduced the price of numerous products. Shortly after the announcement by the two discounters, other supermarkets followed suit and announced lower prices for their own brands.

Discounters, loyalty apps and co: where can you really save money?

Capital

Food has recently become significantly more expensive. Many people are therefore wondering how they can save money in the supermarket. Which bargain hunts are worthwhile - and which are not

Many foods in particular have become much more expensive in recent years. Everyone notices this at the supermarket checkout. However, retailers and food manufacturers are trying to cover up the price increases - with offers, discounts and deceptive packaging. How you can really save money when shopping for food.

Saving on food

Stern

Are discount stores, loyalty point apps and co. worth it?

Food prices have risen recently, so many people are wondering how they can save money in the supermarket. Which bargain hunts are worthwhile - and which are not.

Many foods in particular have become much more expensive in recent years. Everyone notices this at the supermarket checkout. However, retailers and food manufacturers are trying to cover up the price increases - with offers, discounts and deceptive packaging. Stern explains how you can really save money when shopping for food.

Prices for food

ZDF

zdfheute

What 30,000 receipts per day reveal

Rewe, Edeka and Co. generate billions in sales. Brand companies like Coca Cola make huge profits. Who makes money from expensive food? And: How can consumers still save money?

Food prices in Germany have risen by almost 40 percent in the past five years. The war in Ukraine and the associated energy and supply problems are driving up prices. In addition, there have been poor harvests, including coffee, cocoa, oranges and olives. Wage increases are also having an impact.

However, according to Anne Markwardt from the consumer organization foodwatch, none of this alone can explain the price increases. This is because international producers and German supermarkets and discounters made good profits in the same period.

Price discounts

Stern

The ingenious advertising tricks of supermarkets

Price battles, as recently initiated by Lidl, are part of the advertising business of supermarkets. But there are doubts as to whether the promises are really true.

Consumer advocates: Announced “historic” price cuts at discounters lack transparency

MDR

MDR AKTUELL

Advertising campaigns by discounters such as Lidl or Aldi for supposedly historic price reductions are not transparent in the view of consumer protection experts. At least the price reductions are not just pretended - even if they are only minimal in the end.

It is almost impossible for consumers to understand exactly which products are being reduced in price and how high the price reductions are.

At least the prices were not artificially increased before the campaign in order to simulate larger discounts.

The various supermarkets and discounters monitor each other's pricing and regularly adjust their prices.

The clever advertising tricks of the supermarkets

Capital

Price wars, such as the one recently initiated by Lidl, are part of the advertising business of supermarkets. But there are doubts as to whether the promises are really true. Some discounts never existed. Courts check now

The Lidl website currently welcomes its visitors with weighty words. “Our biggest price reduction ever”, it says in yellow and white on a red background. Every third item is being permanently reduced in price and a Black Forest ham is cited as an example. You could almost miss the little ten next to the introductory words, which refers to a footnote. And what is written there rather limits the price bang.

The big discounters and supermarkets have recently started advertising what they claim are huge price reductions. Lidl wants to make over 500 products cheaper, Aldi followed suit on the same day and published a list of goods whose prices are to fall. Rewe and Netto have also cut prices, although they are not communicating this as aggressively as their competitors. However, there are doubts as to whether these alleged price reductions will actually have an impact on consumers' wallets.

Supermarket price war: figures reveal true savings potential at Aldi and Lidl

Watson

Hundreds of items are supposed to be massively discounted - but how much do customers really save in the end? An analysis gets to the bottom of the discounter showdown.

At the end of May 2025, Lidl proudly announced a price offensive: over 500 products were to be permanently cheaper, with some items even being reduced by up to 35 percent.

Price reductions at Aldi and Lidl

Focus Online

Analysis Shows: What Customers Really Save in the Discount Store Price War

With discounts on more than 500 items, Lidl kicked off the price war among discount retailers. Competitor Aldi quickly followed with its own price cuts. But customers aren’t actually saving much.

At the end of May, discount retailer Lidl announced the largest price reductions in its history. With discounts of up to 35 percent on over 500 individual items, it launched the price battle. Just hours later, market leader Aldi responded with its own discounts. However, an analysis commissioned by Handelsblatt now shows: the price reductions are barely noticeable for customers.