Buying groceries online may be an option for desired products of a limited range or international origin which are not necessarily available on the German food retail market. On the other hand, returning to local grocery shopping, many supermarkets and food stores also offer their own online shops and delivery services. With the expansion of mobile device use and digital payment methods, grocery shopping has become easier to do any time, anywhere, without depending on physical retail opening hours. Revenue generated from groceries bought on the internet in Germany skyrocketed in 2020 and 2021, which can be attributed to the coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdowns and restrictions.
German supermarkets are indeed capitalizing by expanding into the online grocery shopping market. Large chains such as REWE and Edeka are among the leading three store brands in the country from which customers buy food on their websites. However, both companies are eclipsed by Amazon Fresh. While one trend on the market is brick-and-mortar food retailers setting up shop online, some new to the game and some with long-term experience, competition exists in the form of solely digital retailers moving fast or e-commerce giants such as Amazon establishing their own grocery platforms. Consumers showed varying degrees of awareness regarding companies that delivered online grocery orders. A survey conducted in Germany in 2021 showed that the three retailers respondents knew best were REWE, HelloFresh and Amazon Fresh.
