German Supermarkt vs. American Grocery Store | FULL TOUR & Why THIS is the Best Tourism Destination
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- čas přidán 4. 06. 2024
- Statue of Liberty? Brandenburg Gate? Nah. Skip them both and head over to the German Supermarkt or American Grocery Store for a REAL peak into what daily life is like in both Germany and the United States.
Grocery shopping is one of our favorite activities and we were surprised at the culture shocks we experienced when we went back to the US and shopped at an American grocery store after spending so much time in German Supermarkts.
Here's why.
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👉Quick Jump to Your Favorite Topic:
00:00 Intro
00:57 Why supermarkts or grocery stores anyway?
02:52 America: "Bigger is Better"... or is it?
05:55 Germans keep it local.
08:39 The American obsession
10:18 Germany's Regional Foods & Bio/Organic Produce
13:15 America's dirty little secret
16:54 Food Culture & Preferences in Germany and the United States
19:15 Recycling & Consumerism in America and Germany
22:03 My one complaint....
26:11 Final Questions
27:29 Outro
Episode 37 | #lifeingermany and #shopping in both Overland Park, KS, USA and Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany | Filmed January 13, 2021
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Originally from the Midwest of the USA, we moved to the #blackforest in 2013 and quickly embraced #expatlife. As American expats living in #Germany, things weren't always easy, but we've grown to love our life in Germany. We started this #travelvlog to share our experiences with friends and family, and to help those who are interested in moving overseas! Whether you are interested in moving abroad, working abroad, studying abroad, raising a family abroad, or just want to #traveleurope, we're here to give you a first person look at what lies ahead. 😊🎥🌎
As a probably rather typcial German person I actually don't want staff or service members in stores to talk to me until I specifically ask them for help. In that case I expect a friendly and helpful response and that's - according to my experience - almost always the case. But I certainly don't want to be bothered while shopping. So it's perfectly normal in Germany that the customers initiate a service request and not the other way round. Same in restaurants, I actually don't want to be bothered while eating, e.g. if the waiter asks me whether I want something else or whether I want another drink. When I want something from the waiter it's me giving the signal for them to come over. I understand that this behaviour might appear rather "unfriendly" to Americans but it's exactly the way I - and many other German fellows - like it to be. ;)
I agree on the shopping part, but in a restaurant i think it makes the difference between a waiter and a good waiter to know the right time to approach. He should not disturb you eating, but he should be checking on you if your drink is empty or you're not eating anymore. Trying to get attention while they're rushing around can be really bothersome, so yeah i don't like if they are persistent but not coming at all is bad too. It might comes along with me liking the corners, which makes it hard to be seen. :D
@@nihzit8185 I agree, restaurants are different. A good waiter/waitress finds the right time and knows when it's appropriate to approach. I also don't mind staff checking in while I'm eating. Because there might be a problem with the food, who knows? Having to signal staff all the time can be tiresome indeed.
@@HintOfSilver This is where the French actually do things better, at least in the mid-level and up restaurants. We have often been very frustrated by the inattentiveness of German wait staff. In France, you so much as say "encore du pain ou du vin, SVP" or "l'addition SVP" and you will get attention and service. In Germany, it can often take going up to the front the restaurant and asking for assistance, often them met with a look of dissatisfaction.
@@ex4edu I don't know if it's possible to generalize here, neither with the country nor with the price range of the restaurant (expensive/upper class ones do not necessarily have better service and vice versa) ;-) at least I have had experiences of both kinds (really good and really bad) in Germany as well as other European countries. Haven't specifically tried out France, though, so maybe they do do it better ;-)
An essential point here is that the German does not understand small talk or is more interested in a real exchange of information, whereby strangers are not really revealed personal information. When you talk, it's really about tangible, sometimes serious, sometimes funny topics with deeper content. Superficiality is anathema to us Germans in the long run. Therefore, questions from staff are kept rather short and therefore not annoying. As a result, Americans will certainly be surprised or sometimes even shocked, if socially critical or even political topics come up in friendly conversations between Germans. Something that would be irritated or even badly received in America.
There is a gigantic difference in shopping between Europe and the USA.
If I am going to cook my own meal tonight, I know what I want and I know where to get it. On my bicycle, and within 15 minutes, I can get everything I need, fresh, the quality I want, and for the price I am willing to pay. A baguette from the bakery is crispy, well made, but also more expensive than one from the supermarket, so it depends on what I want on my table, just a daily meal or for guests of for that special occasion. I am in and out of stores within a minute, grabbing what I need and go home to make my meal.
It is a daily routine, fast, efficient, easy, and everything fits in my shopping bag or panniers.
In the glamorous US mega stores it takes five minutes to run from spices to bread (really? bread?) and five to get to the dairy department, where I have a choice of thirty kinds of milk, but I only need one, not a gallon but one I can conveniently get home in my limited space. I do not like 'the shopping experience' running past fifty meters of shampoo and conditioners on my way to mixed salad... in vain of course because they do not have fresh mixed salad in small bags, I have to buy salad, carrots, onions etc. cut them up, which takes lots of time, and then I have the salad I want, but in a quantity that will serve all needs for the coming three weeks.
And when I need three apples in Europe I can see them all in one glance, make a choice, and that's it. In the US I have to run through the apple department, with enormous display, have in fact less choice, and wonder about the quality if I see thousands of them that must be there for days...
It simply isn't what Europeans want, toilet paper by four rolls is enough for two weeks, I do not need twenty four that I cannot pack nor store at home. And I like them five minutes away, so I can get it if needed, not having to drive thirty minutes to get there.
I'm very confused. You think something 15 minutes away by bike is close??? In Bulgaria I literally had a store downstairs, lol. And not every American store is that big, lol
@@banicata
If you read the whole comment, it becomes clear that 15 minutes is both journeys and the actual shop visit. Whole shopping trip from home to home.
One thing unmentioned for Germany: The price per kilo or liter has to be mentioned on the shelf. Makes it easy to compare the products. Grocery shopping is so fast with Aldi and Lidl because all of there shops have the same positions for the goods in all the shops and the same prices nationwide.
That is a really great point!
Price per pound, ounce, etc. is almost always on the shelf in US stores.
@@davidlium9338 Yes, but having to deal with pounds and ounces, that aren't related to a factor of ten, it's a real mess.
@@davidlium9338 I find that they'll pick and choose different units of measurements, to keep you from making an accurate comparison, unless you're like me and break out the calculator. Also yeah, metric would be cool.
It really annoys me when write the price for one item in €/kg and then €/Liter for the same product of a different brand. But then they only do it, if it's fluid products (like soup, or Milkdrinks), so it doesn't really matter, because it is pretty much the same anyways.
When saying that America is kind of obsessed with “perfection,” at grocery stores, I would say that it’s often a matter of being focused on the visual appeal of the item rather than other important aspects such as consistency and flavor that it offers. For example, a lot of tomatoes in America come from strains that are bred to look good and hold up better when transported. However, much of the tomato flavor can be lost in this tradeoff. Let the buyer be aware.
Sounds like a good metaphor for the cosmetic surgery industry (and its clientele)... the more effort one puts into the exterior, the less ..... well you know. :)
I think we prefer everything to be more, uh, natural, in Europe!
Whenever I go to another country, supermarkets are among the first places I go to. I try to avoid the smaller, inner-city supermarkets, too, because that's usually not where locals shop. And I find it really exciting to walk through the shop and see what kind of product is displayed how and which products are grouped together and how that differs from places I'm used to. 🙃
TASTELESS like MOST OF NETHERLANDS tomatoes we have to ENDURE in the UK
As a german I like it not to be bothered by the customer service, while just looking around and not searching for anything specific. After the third or forth time someone bothers me, I would rather leave the store than looking around and probably buy something that I wasn't even thinking about buying while entering the store.
Yes I totally understand. I think there's just a difference of cultural expectations for customer service. I know I too feel bad asking for help or seeking it out now that I am here.
@@TypeAshton Don't feel bad about asking for help, I worked for a week in a store as student intership from my school, in my opinien the job was boring, changing or removing price rags and removing empty cartons from store shelves.
Helping people is an nice change from this.
That's how I felt while working there, would asume the same goes for most of the others working there too.
I agree. I live in Germany but grew up in Italy and it's the same. You can eventually ask if you can't find an item, but the employees in a grocery store aren't there to serve you. Actually in Italy it could come off as an act of mistrust towards the customer, like an implicit "I'm keeping my eyes on you because I don't want you to steal something". So the cultural difference between Europe and the US in this aspect is really big.
Dont worry. No one will come up to you to see if you need help in american grocceries store. It rarely happens even at the best stores. Video is wrong about this part.
As an American, I have _never_ had someone just come up to me and ask if they could help, except when it was really clear that I couldn't find what I was looking for. But when I ask for help, it is almost always friendly and helpful. Nobody will hover over you in an American grocery store. (This is different in other stores, like clothes or shoes.)
Your critique about the customer experience is exactly why Walmart failed so miserably here. We hate being bothered while shopping. We do our groceries more or less every week, we know what we want, we know where it is and there is no need to bother us. If we need help, we go to the staff and ask them. That is why you feel like you are bothering staff. It is part of their job description to help customers find items, but they generally are not needed for this task a lot. So that interupts their workflow in a way. They will still do it and try to be as helpful as possible, but it is hard to hide, that your workflow got interupted.
Grocery bagging is almost like a pride thing for Germans. We know to put the heavy stuff on the bottom, we like to play tetris with our groceries and fit them in our containers the way we want them to be in there, so we have an easier time sorting them in our kitchen when we get home. Grocery bagger and the "greeters" are often listed as one of the most useless professions when you ask Germans about American jobs. We hate the concept.
But I absolutely see your point. As an American you are used to that experience and it is expected in America. In Germany we perceive it as useless. The job provides no value to us. The task is so easy and mundane that paying someone to do just that feels wasteful and we prefer to have lower grocery prices to having someone pack our bags for us.
PS: I have never heard of Germans not refridgerating their eggs. Our Refrigerators have slots in the doors just for egg cartons or even single eggs sometimes.
As a German working retail, helping customers is very much part of our job description while small talk is not. I can see how that might come of as impolite but most supermarkets are understaffed so we depend on being as efficient as possible. As a side note I personally never bother bagging my groceries at the register I just throw everything back in the cart and bag my things outside.
Yes .. I always ask for the location of a product, if I can't find it after a minute.
They just have work to do all the time. But as a German I have no problem just asking them straight away, because I just feel entitled to get an answer if they know (if they don't, they just tell me and I will find someone else or I try by myself again, no big deal). A simple "Entschuldigung ..." Is enough. Often they just keep doing their thing while giving me directions. Quite painless.
or at the #shelfofshame
Honestly?? Sometimes my fellow customer's forlorness verges on being bothersome to me. :o How do you ever cope with all the real challenges of life??
omg, from america here, it has never, ever, EVER crossed my mind to bag my groceries outside the store. If my purchase is small enough, then of course I will not use a bag at all.
Interesting, took me aback there... I like efficiency so I might actually try that sometime.
@@SteelsCrow not common but is done at the "German style" stores in Canada the bag outside
Two other things important to note as a big difference:
a) People return their carts, since they paid a deposit on them. In Germany, you won't see carts all over the parking lot.
b) The prices you see on the shelfs are final. Taxes are already included and you won't be surprised by what you actually have to pay at the cashier.
Sadly, a not too dissimilar problem is developing around carts. "Unlocking tools", for want of a better name, that go on your keyring are becoming exceedingly popular. These work like a regular coin (or other token) but are removable without returning, leaving the carts returned _if_ you're lucky, but not connected. Worse, those tools often fail, jamming and even damaging the lock.
Interestingly, Aldi is gradually conquering the USA as well. And just like in Germany, they don't even put products on shelves from the delivery boxes. And no one packs your groceries for you, either. But they undercut every competitor in price. (Because, of course, you pay for all this service.) In the end, many Americans also seem to accept cuts in customer service, as long as it saves them enough money. It will be interesting to see how this develops in the future.
I think that's at least partially a result of the recent economic troubles they faced. Aldi gets them what they _need_ for a reasonable price. When you have to turn every cent twice, that beats getting a larger selection (of mostly the same stuff) and some pampering.
The reason Aldi have not even more success in the US is town structure. In the US you need a car for shopping - and have to drive longer distances than in germany. So the concept of having everything in one place, may it be a big grocery store or a mall, fits to the urban structures with all the suburbs.
It is quite interesting the Aldi-concept is so successfull beside this problem.
@@oleurgast730 It's actually a major issue in american urban design. Everything is build around cars, so they're essentially physically dependent on them. Meanwhile, there's plenty of places in Europe where a car not only isn't needed, but would be more of a hindrance than help.
And since everybody has a car (since they need to) everything gets build around everybody using a car to do everything, so everybody needs to have a car, so everything gets build... well, you get the point. In a way, you'd have to completely demolish most of the US and rebuild it to fix this...
Aldi is certainly becoming more popular. However, side note, Aldi also owns Trader Joe's. One of our favorite smaller grocery store chains in USA. They provide a lot of bio food and recommend bringing your own bags. We would love for this to catch on in Germany.
@@TypeAshton While in Germany the "Aldi" trademark is shared between Aldi North and Aldi South beside beeing totaly seperated companys since 1961, in the US the trademark "Aldi" is owned by Aldi South exclusivly. Trader Joe's actually was bought by Aldi North, continuing Trader Joe's concept. So U.S. Aldi and Trader Joe´s are not connected.
While I surely would love to see Trader Joe's in germany, due to the agreement between the two companies as they seperated 1961, Trader Joe´s concept might only occure noth of the Aldi equator. I live in south Aldi teritory...
But "bring your own bag" is valid everywhere in germany anyway, and also you see increasing numbers of organic food both in Aldi north and Aldi south, so it is only a matter of time they keep up. It is mostly the design of Trader Joe seems more attractive than a normal "Aldi" I would like to see here too.
I live in the United States, but grew up in Germany where I usually visit at least once per year.
I see a big difference grocery shopping in the United States, where most people only get groceries once per week where they buy a whole car-load of groceries at a time. I have a huge refrigerator and freezer full of groceries. Buying large amounts of groceries every time I go, requires a lot of storage space and a car. There is no grocery store close enough to walk or bike. If you include the need to have a car in the United States, it makes food more expensive in the long-run.
In Germany (or most parts of Europe) I usually go to the grocery store every day or two when I need something for that day or the next. Usually people are able to go to the grocery store on their way home from work using public transportation or a store is a short walk or bike ride away from where they live. My 90-year old mother who lives in Germany still rides her bike to the grocery store daily. This kind of setup also contributes to people living healthier and more active lives. They meet their neighbors and get to know new people along the way.
The need for a “bigger lifestyle” in the US requires you to own a larger house/apartment, larger fridge, larger car, higher paying job or larger part of your income, more roads and parking infrastructure and so on. While the average German lifestyle is just the opposite in my view. You can live with less. You don’t have to work as hard to make things meet. You don’t need a car to get around, your fridge only needs to hold enough groceries for a few days.
Claus, there are folk who shop just once a month and it's usually at Costco or Sam's Club.
As a German living in Berlin i would say on point👌
When i was a little kid my grandma send me to the corner of our street to buy some fruits/vegetables at the little store where you usualy buy cigarettes/newspaper etc. nowadays. I miss this good old times! The owners of these little shops sometimes gave me some sweets because they knew my grandma.
You surely are right about it, but that doesn't mean it's not possible to shop big in Germany. I live in Cologne but still rather drive to a big Supermarket to Shop one or two weeks worth of food for 4 People. Except the things I want to be fresh, like buns or certain fruits and vegetables.
@@Jimboo45 Same here, except in Frankfurt. Also, we still had a milk-shop...
Good grief, using a car for shopping all the time feels like a horrible idea to me - all the cycling that I'd lose!
I think Berlin is a good example of why those smaller grocery shops work: there's one on almost every block, so you can get your staples via bicycle or walking, hurray! It's not only a health question: if every single customer did their groceries via car, the already over-loaded streets in Berlin would probably turn into 50 square miles of traffic jam.
US cereal aisles finally taught me why sports is such an important thing in the US: without having some all sports star beaming at you from a box, how could you possibly decide which of the 200+ cereals you are going to buy?
Here in England I think it used to be quite common to rinse raw chicken before cooking it but this has been discouraged recently because a) it’s unnecessary because the heat of cooking will destroy any surface bacteria and b) there is a good chance that you will spread any bacteria that are present on the chicken to the sink area and the taps.
I remember my biggest 'culture shock' being in a US grocery store was the cereal and snack sections being huge in comparison to fresh produce/healthy foods. Spectacular choice, but the amount was just blew my mind. I do agree with the difference of customer service, way better in the US. However, if you see how little pay they get and the poor work conditions most have(sick days/holidays/insurance) it starts feeling very uncomfortable, more like the big chains exploit people who have no other options.
Fresh produce doesn't last long. They don't want to have more than they can sell. Sealed cereal and snacks can sit around for a long time and don't have to be delivered as often as fresh produce does.
@@BrandonLeeBrownProcessed garbage that gives you cancer.
Nice idea to use a comparison video to delve into cultural differences.
As a European (Swiss) what irks me is that many Americans think that the smaller selection in European grocery stores indicates a lower living standard. That's absolutely not the case; it has more to do with the fact that individualism is not as rampant in Europe and that quality is more important than quantity to many people here. Also: logging miles running around endless aisles to get some groceries is not really convenient to me...
As for customer service consider this: European stores do not have baggers and the cashiers work quite fast because workers are payed considerably better wages. So less people are employed and the work they do creates more value which means they do not have as much time to waste. Also the attitude towards those workers is more egalitarian. They are seen as just another human being rather than lakeys which means they don't go out of their way to constantly baby the customers. For Americans this is often perceived as 'poor' service but consider the Karen culture this has caused in the US...
"Karen-culture"-Exactly!!!LOL
Good comment!
i like to go to COOP, i even have a shopping bag, and i am living south of Hamburg,
moin aus dem Norden!
On point!
Also packing bags has to do with job creation as the US has such an unequal society. This is a clear sign of a country’s educational system.
We actually tried to introduce having people bag the shopping for the customer here in Germany some years back. The experiment was quickly aborted - by and large, the customers didn't like that! Even though it's a technique to make shopping quicker, more efficient and less stressful, German shoppers were like: "Nah, do not want! Stop that, you're probably packing my bags all wrong! Do you have any qualifications, have you completed a grocery-bagging apprenticeship? Waaaah!" We are a strange nation sometimes LOL And one of the many reasons Walmart failed in Germany was that German shoppers found the employees approaching them & offering help to be annoying, rather than helpful: "Why are you interrupting my meditation on what to buy? How dare you interfere?! I can do my own damned shopping!"
Thats actually really funny and true i can see myself definetly doing this.
There are definitely wrong technique to pack bags. I noticed it when the local supermarket offered an "order online & pickup" service. The fragile items (tacos, chips, vegetables...) were put at the bottom of the bag and heavy stuff (bottles, cans etc.) put on top. So vegetables got dents and didn't last so long anymore and the chips where sprinkles or the yoghurt foil had a cut and was "open". In the US they usually do it better but what I don't like there that sometimes only two or three items are put in a plastic bag while there would be space for much more. Finally you end up with 10+ bags while 2-3 would have been perfectly fine. That's just waste.
I remember when I heard about the policies Walmart tried to introduce to their employees like a motivational 5 minutes before shifts and prohibition of romantic relationships between employees, but that#s not how the Germans roll. It was totally appalling for me as a customer and I didn't want to shop from a company that's so weird and shoving their nose into things where it doesn't belong. Job is job and the private life of an employee must not be interfered with by the employer.
And besides that, they didn't have a different selection. When Walmart started in Germany I thought "Great, now I get all the stuff needed for American recipes" like baking soda, brown sugar, molasses, cheap(er) peanut oil, etc, but poof, no, nothing, almost the same selection as Globus, Real, or Massa. So why drive 20 kms, when I get the same stuff in town?
It's not about "qualifications". It's about money. Someone has to pay those guys, and in the end, it'll be the costumers. And I don't want that. I don't want to pay for a service that I don't need.
Grocery Shopping is like Hunting in Germany 😂😂 you can't pack my bag's as I would do it 😆
as someone who once worked in a German supermarket: Yes, you usually disturb employees if you ask them stuff. It's not that they are unhelpful, but staffing is so much leaner in Germany that a whole supermarket like Rewe is frequently run by a shift of three. That entails keeping the registers open, restocking on the fly (no or little separate restocking after hours by third party workers and the like), cleaning up, being on the mandatory breaks, and answering your question on where to find the dried peas. Oh, and keeping a lookout for shoplifting.
So ask if you cant't find something (look first, you might actually receive a "stupid question stare" if the answer is quite obvious), although the stores are logically set up and aside from the chains with the largest footprint easily surveilable. But don't expext more then a "this aile over there, to the right" response. They would accompany you if they had nothing more pressing to do (rare). Or if you look to be like especially frail or otherwise to be failing at life. But the general expectation is that you are a competent adult who will get done the things they set out to do as far as fetching food and basic nessesities is concerned. Offering help would often be seen as a nuissance, if not as condecending.
Same goes for nonsense jobs like cartpusher or grocery bagboy, people wouldn't see the value in it and would not pay for it in increased prices. Customer service in a supermarket usually just means people expect to get their shopping done efficiently, often twice a week (which is also why they are usually more compact, it saves time and even mental energy on things like deciding which of the 50 varieties of noodels to buy). Stuff like customer advisory is expected in more specialised stores, be it obvious candidates like electronics or even things like a drugstore, where one might reasonably lack the expertise to make good decisions.
And whatever you do, never try to strongarm any storeclerc by being a "Karen" and asking for the manager. Quite frequently, that would be the person you are speaking to just now, having the same responsibilities as anyone else, and in any case if your complaint lacks obvious merit they will NOT roll over or appease you in any way. More likely you will get "Hausverbot", banned on patronizing the store in the future.
Thank you for this! I had thought that it was probably the case that assisting customers find specific items by accompanying them around the store is probably something that just isn't part of the normal job description. I often find that in general people are very helpful, but if you are understaffed or really, really busy I can see how tasks that take away from your primary duties kind of overload your plate.
@@TypeAshton In general, if you ask friendly, you get a friendly answer. And if you complain friendly (I really hate to complain, because usually the person I am talking to is not at fault), they will just as friendly note the complain or (if they can) try to help you. Honestly, as long as you keep in mind that those people are busy and that you are not the only customer in the shop, and act accordingly, you will get the help you need. And usually "It's in the second shelf over there" is enough information to find what you were looking for desperately.
Same goes for waiters, btw.
@@TypeAshton it's not *understaffing*. This is how they are supposed to operate. Granted, employing people is apparently quite hard, even though Aldi, Lidl ect pay decent wages. Which is why they bolster with mini-jobbers like students. But the premise of any German supermarket is that 9/10 people will only have one interaction with the staff, it being when paying (might be avoided via self-checkout).
The commercial competition and price sensitivity of customers is relentless which requires compact (rent, taxes), energy efficient, leanly manned stores (which is why Germans spend so little of their income on food and other mostly homogenous goods). It is also why sometimes the really good stuff doesn't make it to german mass-retail, but gets sold at greater profits elsewhere.
@@TypeAshton Well Germany makes their money with producing and exporting stuff while the US mainly is a service society, probably this plays also into it
"Word" on not wanting to pay for somebody to bag my groceries or herd my shopping cart back into it
s line.
I must have had that a dozen times over the years that I look for something for several minutes, then give up and go in search for staff to ask them, and then it turns out that they are standing not a yard away from what I was looking for and just asked them a very stupid question.
Even under those circumstances, I usually get a fairly polite reaction.
The thing with the eggs in most countries in Europe is, that there is the prevention of salmonella in chicken farms. They test to be salmonella free, and hence the eggs are. Washing the eggs like in US removes the natural protection layer from the eggs outer shell, and make the eggs more prone to be entered by bacteria etc. You can read the German "Salmonellenverordnung" describing the protection against salmonella in chicken and turkeys.
Comment from an American living in Germany: I agree, customer service is different, not as in your face in Germany. That said, when I have asked some one for help, Germans have been very helpful, taking me to the item I was looking for. One time, there were 3 employees in a big E Center (EDEKA) looking for Eierplätzchen. Still makes me smile remembering their determination to find those cookies….and this is just one example.
Diese Erfahrung mache ich auch immer wieder. Ich kaufe sehr oft bei REWE und EDEKA ein und kann das nur bestätigen. Wenn man fragt, bekommt man Hilfe. Abgesehen davon sollte man meiner Meinung nach, die amerikanischen Arbeitsbedingungen bei alle dem nicht außen vor lassen. Für mich ist das ein wesentlicher Grund, für den - aus deutscher bzw. europäischer Sicht - außergewöhnlichen „Customer Service“.
Hihihi, diese 3-Personen-Suche hatte ich vor Weihnachten auch! Das erste Mal in meinem Leben. Das war wie ASMR! ;)
I absolutely loved going shopping with my daughter in Manerba di Garda, Italy. The produce! The olive oils! The teas! All the amazing cheeses! The things I never saw before, and things hard to find (pecans!). My favorite errand to run and luckily several times a week because tiny fridge and super fresh food.
Concerning the fee for plasic bags in Chikago.
That is how it started in Germany to teach us to bring our own reusable bags. (Jute statt Plastik). Suddenly the bags at Aldi & Co. were not free anymore and before spending 10 or 30 Pfennig for the respective bag, lots of people learned to bring a bag. I think that started about 20 years ago, so it will take some time in Chicago... 😉
Example, Belgium : throw away bags are illegal now (since years). Stores cannot give them out for free, nor sell them. (Both actions are illegal) Banned totally. Bag with a guaranteed long reuse lifetime, are allowed (to be sold)
in Canada they started charging 5C per bag and some stores offered reusable bags for 15C - 25C and stopped even offering plastic one use bags altogether around 2020 and the government has enacted a one use plastic ban that includes bags
Customer service depends in Germany in areas and your age. When I moved to the area where I live now I was totally shocked not being greeted by the staff even in tiny shops. Even my greetings were blatantly ignored, same at the cashier stations. It got better over the years since I got older and had more self-esteem and presence, even telling clerks when they were rude. Of course, there is always the other side of the coin. I‘m still surprised how rude customers can be, not giving the cashiers the tiniest greeting and not answering their questions (for payment options and available bonus cards). At least half of the customers in lines don’t even talk one word or even look at the cashier. Yeah, the pace is very fast but people behind me won’t die when I take 5 seconds for that. I noticed that at least 80% (everyone can have a bad day) of all cashie r/clerks appreciate when treated like a human being and with a smile. Hell, it makes ME feel better when they smile and greet back.
NOT saying "Buenos dias/Bonjour/Gutten morgen" is rather UNPOLITE
Assuming that people in Germany and the U.S. eat about the same number of eggs, the people in the U.S. has 39 times the chance of getting salmonellosis.
Germany: 8743 cases per 83.24 million inhabitants (RKI, Jahrbuch, 2020, p. 179)
USA: 1.35 million cases per 329.5 million inhabitants (CDC Website)
this is especially concerning, seeing how eating raw eggs is much more common in europe than in the US, additionally, in the US, but not europe, you can get UV treated eggs, that are much safer to consume raw
I dont think its the washing of the shell that explains that, something else is going on...
@@catwiesel_81 yes, Americans!
dont feed numbers to people who got no concept for numbers!
Lucky Norwegians, we don’t have salmonella here, I love raw yolks.
@@catwiesel_81 The washing of the shell is devastating ! Science got proof of that, hence why the practice is strictly forbidden in the EC...
We are (pre Covid) in the US twice a year for extended periods. Already as a young teenager my oldest son made a huge observation about US grocery stores. “The variety of things is sooo big. So much larger than in Germany. It all tastes so yummy, but then you feel ill after.” Basically he was commenting on the quantity of prepared foods and snacks that Germany does not have ( quantity/selection wise, of course we have enough here). Since we do not stay in hotels while visiting in the US but still cook many meals ourselves from scratch as we do at home in Germany, we easily limited the prepared or boxed items. An example, no pancake mix but rather made from scratch. No salad dressing from the bottle but again mixed from scratch. It’s amazing how these small things really affect your diet/health and well-being.
The variety is also a bit unusual as well. There are like 50 kinds of M&M’s but really only three meats: beef, chicken, and pork. (Lamb and turkey do still show up, with Turkey a bit more common, but really only in lunch meats and around Thanksgiving. Lamb shows up in a corner of the supermarket in limited supply, and even then usually only as rack of lamb and roast.)
Yes and unfortunately, the pre-packaged foods which are very calorie dense and often loaded with salt are cheaper than buying fresh produce. I've read quite a few articles from dieticians and food scientists discussing "food deserts" as well in poor neighborhoods. It undoubtably contributes to the growing obesity problem amongst low income individuals, but also nation-wide.
@@TypeAshton sugar is what makes people fat at most
@@puellanivis you have fish and sausage in the grocery stores also. Fish isn't in the same case as beef, pork, and chicken. Sausage is generally in the same case as beef, pork, and chicken. We buy bratwurst and Polish sausage often from the grocery store.
WTF, there is something like pancake mix???
Something that easy to make yourself and there's a company out there thinking I can't do that... I find that kinda insulting.
And if you want the real "bio" food here in germany, don't buy in the supermarket. The real stuff you'll find in a "bioladen". Yes, there is a very real difference between the "EU bio norm" stuff and the stuff that "real" bio companies produce.
I like the game of being fast in packing my stuff from the cashier's top, usually I am planning ahead when putting the stuff on the conveyor belt so you can put them back in cart in the right order. Like heavy hard items on the bottom and squishy stuff like salad on the top.
As far as I know German Supermarkets are cheaper than in most other countries, even though the cost of labor (even for simple supermarket workers) is probably significantly higher. So to cut down on labor cost, workers at a supermarket are mainly responsible for supplying the shelves and only to help when asked. And most Germans (including me) will just prefer a lower price over a bit of more comfort and niceties. I guess this balance can be seen everywhere in German culture, I as an engineer make less than in the US, but a simple worker will make significantly more here. You've got a lot of benefits like a lot of vacation but you have to be punctual and efficient in your work time.
We certainly do appreciate the prices of German groceries. Especially after COVID, USA prices have increased significantly.
As for the game, we are Tetris masters.
Fellow American in Germany here. Thanks for a great video! Just a couple of thoughts:
1. German eggs do have a date on the package after which they should be refrigerated. I usually put my eggs in the refrigerator right away anyway, just to make sure I don't forget.
2. Bringing your own shopping bags is definitely more doable here because at least in cities, small shops are everywhere and it's little problem to pick up a few things daily while you're out doing something else, without needing to make an extra trip. (Also, if you're using public transport, you probably already have a bag or backpack with you anyway.) In the US it's more often big shopping trips a couple of times a week, making it much harder to assess ahead of time how many bags you'll need to bring. So I understand why there was pushback about the bag tax. In the end it comes down to U.S. zoning codes and car culture, at least in part. That said, I'm not sure how much plastic the ban on plastic shopping bags here actually saves. I used to reuse them for rubbish bin bags and more. Now I have to buy rolls of regular bin bags instead. At least the bin bag manufacturers are happy, I guess.
3. About customer service, I appreciate not being asked if I need anything every 5 minutes, especially if I'm at a restaurant. However, I understand that servers in the U.S. depend on tips to survive, so I grin and bear it when I go back for visits, and tip generously when possible. In grocery or department stores, it's sort of a necessary evil, I suppose. After nearly 40 years in Germany, I've become more German than I realised! 😁
4. Recently Aldi has opened some U.S. locations. Have you ever shopped in one of them? Are they just like here in Germany? What do U.S. shoppers generally think of the experience?
Thanks again for a great video! I just liked and subscribed. 🤗
I do not agree about the bags: it just requires a bit of thinking ahead. That should not be that hard. As it is not so hard to push your own shopping cart ;-)
We have an Aldi in our town in Alabama of all places and we LOVE it. Find the value superior to most US supermarkets.
I think there are some points really missing, which has to do with car-culture and european city-planning. I recommend this video from the Channel "not just bikes", which is speaking of grocery shopping in Amsterdam, but you can in generally take much from it that is true for Germany as well. The video is called: Why Grocery Shopping is Better in Amsterdam
Yep, the channel shows why things are different in Germany! Worth a look!
I don‘t think it is better in Amsterdam. I have been in these supermarkets and especially the dairy section is more expensive and it doesn‘t have a large variety. I do buy loads of this stuff and whenever i am in the NL, I miss my german supermarkets badly.
It‘s the same with US supermarkets. I went there in 2011 and 2017 and the variety was small and esp yoghurts very expensive. The cheapest single fruit yoghurt 89 ct.
While here in Germany you can get a good one for 29cts.
On refridgerating eggs: Thank you for explaining the differences. Please note that German eggboxes usually not only carry a "best use before" advice, but also a "best refridgerate after" date, something like "gekühlt aufbewaren ab ...". So if the eggs have been sitting in your kitchen for some time, refridgerating is also recommended because of Salmonella.
As always, a well researched and nicely presented video. I loved the slalom in the US supermarket. Have a nice sunday and greetings from the Ruhr district!
Yes! Great advice thank you so much! Cheers from Freiburg!
When Lidl initially opened here in Finland people were baffled by the non-existend counter space after
check-out and the speed of which people were expected to bag their groceries, like, directly as the came from the conveyer belt. There was so much push-back that Lidl did buckle and install new, more spacious counters for bagging. Lidl is the third largest grocery store chain in Finland and the biggest "foreign" chain.
As a German living in the US, I can confirm that Americans' friendliness is outstanding, which makes everyday interactions soo much more pleasant!
and so often it's a lie or a mask because the job-description requires it.
You see it with friendship and dating in the us. friendly, compliments but mostly nothing real.
Ich sehe die riesige Auswahl an Milch in US-Supermärkten und übertrumpfe es mit der Mineralwasser-Auswahl in Deutschland. 😛
I really appreciate the way you compare the german and US differences in shopping culture and consumerism without the finger wagging. You are very mindful and considered in your analysis.
I had to laugh at the "chase scene" at the check out. As a german you are used to being the hunter and the hunted in the check out line...;-)
Thank you so much for watching! That is a very kind comment.
As a Bagger/Re-Stocker in a U.S.Grocery Store-i can relate to this Supermarkt Theme.Endless selection,endless convenience items,endless plastic packaging.Bring your own bags-they carry more ! Recycle-Recycle-Recycle ! A We mentality-not a Me mentality-Yes-people are nice and customer service is appreciated ! This Pandemic is changing how we live,though-more people are eating at home-thats a very good thing !
I agree with you that shopping for food gives you insight into a culture. Your observances are very accurate. As a German living in America, I have noticed the same. But I think that the difference between the two countries stems from an overarching attitude toward quantity versus quality when it comes to standard of living. That one trait permeates everything, including food.
Yes I think this is absolutely true.
Hahaha, I understand that German customer service is extremely lacklustre compared to all THAT in the US. Carrying your stuff to your car? That's crazy. As a German I would honestly hate it if random staff didn't let me just shop in peace and would touch my things after I bought them. I guess it's just what Germans are more comfortable with. But when you're used to the US culture it's understandable that Germany isn't nearly as good with their customers in terms of going above an beyond. When I visited the US I just found the customer service to be a bit obnoxious and overbearing, but I suppose that's just a cultural difference. We do have a bit of a meme here when it comes to customer service in the "Baumarkt" (ie the hardware stores) as in there isn't any - all the Baumarkt employees go through a rigorous training regimen of avoiding customers at all cost and if one does manage to corner them they will just say "sorry, that's not my department, please go over there to the (unmanned) counter, they can help you" and then vanish into thin air.
hahahaha oh man, that meme about the Baumarkt had us rolling 😂😂. But yes! I'm so glad you agree. I think there is just a difference in the cultural expectation of customer experience. Like we mentioned in the video, we were really almost reverse culture shocked when a store employee asked us if they could help us. 😂
NOw that is cliche, yes they might not neessarily actively appear all the time but they do not run away from you.
While i never was to the US i totally agree in the regards to how i would see german shoping culture.
When i shop and don't know where something is, i normaly ask the closest person i can find, mostly a cutomer, where it is. And i get the help i asked for. I would say the german way of thinking is: you, the customer are able to realize when you need help and ask youself, if i the score clerk where to ask you if you need help i would suggest you are not selfsufficiant. While the american why of thinking is make it as pleasent of a time as can be. Of course it is not always like that. But that is the immage i get.
The Baumarkt meme is just superb.
A stranger is touching your things to be rung up if you don't do the self service register 😉. Sorry I had to go there. I know what you mean.
I'm guessing you aren't an old person with aches and pains. When I lived in Switzerland there were a few old women that would give their bag to the cashier and the cashier would bag it as they rang it up. The cashier would come around the corner and put it on their 4 wheeled walker. One lady lived in the same building as me. She would walk a block and get into the elevator and unpack her groceries from the walker. Thr service would be nice for them. So.e old people brought us into this world and took care of us. It's our turn to take care of them.
Not every elderly person has someone close by to help them. Some don't want the help. The old lady in my building I would frequently check to see if she needed anything from the store daily. I typically got the heavy stuff for her. Other times she was like no. I need the fresh air.
Putting stuff in bags and loading them into cars isn't the kind of job that is going to pay a living wage.
That kind of low-level service just means America has an underclass whose labour gets exploited.
Walmart for example is the company that has the most employees who have to rely on food stamps in the US. Those food stamps then get spent in at Walmart, providing the company with a multi-billion dollar subsidy each year.
The first time I was in the US, I flew alone to Vegas and took a cab to the hotel. The taxi driver was so friendly and chatty that I thought he was kidnapping me. I started sharing my location on whatsapp with my friends just to be on the safer side.
hahaha oh man really?! I think now on Uber they actually have a setting where you can tell the driver not to talk to you because this same behavior really freaked other passengers out too.
If you had gone to the south they would probably take you to a family cook out before dropping you at your location 🤣
Is nothing bad in the southern states they’re very friendly and a bitt too chatty! The northern states maybe you can question things lol
Really ? I like it to talk to taxi drivers for some reason, if they are not really talking to me i am not giving them a tip :D I don't like it if they don't talk because it creeps me out to sit completely still in a taxi without talking. Once i talked with the driver like half an hour after i was already at my destination :D But i am a German too, so these are just personal things, i mean some people just don't like it and some do.
Hi,
you talked about the customer service and the fast cashiers in german supermarkets and i had to smile, you are totally right. It is total different. Did you know, that Aldi is pride about their ultra fast cashiers? The concept is: Standing at the cash register is wasting time, so our cashiers hurry up so you can leave the Shop in a Minute. This is, what they say to customers. But in fact, Aldi cashiers can make more sales volume in an hour, and this is that counts for Aldi.
As my wife and I had been the first time in an American supermarket in Schaumburg, Illinois, it was a total different experience for us. The employees saw us searching, and a second later they asked: Can I help you? And we needed help, because the Target supermarket was huge and we have never been in that shop before.
And the cashier worked in exactly the right speed for us to put away all the stuff. I think, the average people in the US are more friendly. It is not only supercicial, and not only small talk, it is a cultural difference.
One example: We were in New York, and I saw all the NYPD Smarts, they are used for surveillance of the no parking areas. And for me, it was very funny to see these very smal cars used by the NYPD. So I talked to my wife to arrange a photo, me in front of the NYPD Snart.
A young women came and said: Oh, you are speaking German, I can hear that because of the sound of the words you are speaking. So we talked a little bit about Germany, our journey to New York and her experiences with our country. She said that she had been in Germany some years ago and loved the country. You will never see this in Germany that people you have never seen before will talk to you in that way. It was a nice experience.
And in another supermarket in Illinois, we saw a cake named Black Forest style cake. I showed it to my wife and we laughted a bit about it. It was a chocolate cake with cherry marnelade, I think you know how a real Black forest cake is made.
A nice lady saw us, came to us and said: I think you know why you are laughing. My grand parents came from Germany to Illinois, and I know what a real Black forest cake is.
These are things we like about American people, and it is totally different from Germany
Those "ohhhhhh, I could drive my car through here" aisles make me want to cry.
huge aisles --> huge shop --> lots of ground sealed up --> ground doesn't soak up water --> higher chance of flooding --> what open ground there _is_ is in danger of being washed away --> The Return of the Dustbowl
The suburbs and the huge parking lots are the same, of course. There might be plenty of open spaces in the US (yet), but there _isn't_ plenty of arable ground.
Not that plenty of other nations aren't being careless, too, but the US is the one nation (I know of) where people would pridefully go "ohh, it's the American Way (TM), isn't it splendid?"
Germany and other European nations just have the 'advantage' that they've been building cities for more than a thousand years, and at some point figured out that unlimited sprawl isn't that good an idea.
About 12 years ago, I remember a supermarket chain in france trying the "packing your stuff into bags at the checkout" thing, offering jobs during the holidays to students. Most people were taken aback and were thinking that the kids wanted to rob them of their bought goods, especially oder ones ^^
And yes, about the fast cashiers in Germany: Before barcodes were a thing, cashiers at Aldi had to know every price of every item from their head, and had to type them in manually. And they were extremely fast, you almost couldn't keep up putting your items in the cart ^^ (granted, they had a limited selection of prices, so it was more like 30 prices and where to apply which).
So true. The introduction of scanner registers considerable slowed down the aldi cashiers.
They didnt have to know the price. They have to know the EAN Number and the PLU Numbers of the items. PLU Numbers are still widely used for fruit and vegetables.
Well, the pace comes from the policy that the moment the customer is at the cashier they won’t buy anything anymore. Therefore they are pushed to leave as fast as they can. Capitalism at its worst. I prefer the US way then, even though they may lie. At least you won’t feel thrown out.
@@UsiUsiUsi I never go the feeling that I'm being pushed to leave in any grocery shop (okay, unless of course it's three minutes to closing time). The cashiers work as quick as they can because there are other customers waiting and there's more work waiting.
After all, when _I'm_ waiting in the queue I want it to move quickly, too.
@@Julia-lk8jn I don’t know how old you are but 25 years ago the counters were almost 2-3 times that long and the scanning technique were way slower than today. So I had enough time to pack my bags. Today everything feels more like a race when I have more than a few things. Especially families who have to keep their children in check thanks to the sweets in the cashier area (I know few who always choose the legal drugs aisle for that reason) and old people usually are overwhelmed. Some people tend to pack their bags first and pay then and even though it makes people behind them waiting a lot I‘m asking myself if that isn’t the better way. Maybe egotistical but it is the proper answer to those grocery chains who did open this race.
So please try to be a bit more understanding (empathy is a very old concept) next time. No one likes to wait but there will be days when you are the reason others have to wait. It would be nice not everyone hating you because of that, wouldn’t be?
Putting the eggs in the fridge is perfectly fine if they're going to stay there until you use them, the reason they're not refrigerated in supermarkets is that water could condense on them while taking them home, and water makes the shell permeable for bacteria. Most eggs in Germany also come with a "refrigerate from" date about a week before the best before.
And you're supposed to have a look at the eggs before you buy them, a side effect of not washing eggs is that farmers have to keep their barns clean because consumers won't buy filthy ones.
Addition fun fact: the checking for the eggs by the cashiers is to check if you use the egg packaging to steal something in it and not to check if the eggs are intact
So many interesting things here: As a german, I still always refrigerate my Eggs as I don't eat them often, so 10 eggs last me like 3 weeks, but they keep up really well in the fridge. My mom in contrast keeps some in the fridge, some in a little wooden shelf that are eaten first - they even get a local farmer driving around the neighbourhoods once a week to sell locally produced eggs cheaper than a grocery store could.
As for customer service, I agree with what others have said: I just want to shop in peace and not have to interact with someone - the push for self-checkout and the REWE/PAYBACK hand-scanners are a godsent for me. If i need help, I usually still don't feel left alone as some employee is usually around and will gladly help me!
Also as for the "perfectionism": I honestly thought you'd bring up germany, not the US - the big name stores already feel way more structured and aimed to show the best, in contrast to the farmers markets or smaller / cheaper stores (like, Aldi and Netto feel way "less perfect" than Edeka and REWE)
Also Also: Why so much Milk? Why everything so big? I already have problems that stuff goes bad in my 2-person household with german package sizes! Single-portion, fresh packaging is hard to get right.
I looked it up sometimes, and you don't need to cool eggs, BUT it is recommended to just put them in the refrigerator after you got home.
You should take into account that many foods in the US contain much more preservatives than their European counterparts. If you have food items that might get bad within a week in Europe but can last for months in the US selling them in bigger package sizes makes sense. It also effects how we shop. In the US it's much more common to make one big shopping trip once every few weeks while most Europeans go shopping at least once or twice per week.
I think i get where the perfectionism comes from. Problem is that it's all shallow and superficial. German perfectionism is about making something that works. The perfectionism described here is more about making something that _looks_ good.
hahaha the gallon sized milk took us by surprise as well... but I remember as a kid we went through a LOT of milk at our house. Typically a gallon will be good for two weeks, and I distinctly remember my parents always buying two (one to keep in the refrigerator in the house, and a second to keep in the refrigerator in the garage so we didn't run out). Apparently if the apocalypse occurred, my parents wanted to make sure we had milk for our cereal. 😂
@@TypeAshton oh, so here I find the answer to my question in my own comment, about the milk package size. It's because Americans consume milk together with their corn flakes or other unhealthy cereals for their breakfast. And because milks contains unhealthy preservatives that let it last longer.
I also eat cereals for breakfast, but it's Vollkornmuesli or Haferfleks and I never eat it with milk, but with freshly cut fruits and natural yogurt. And into my coffee I pour Kondensmilch with 4% fat. And I never drink milk. So there are really rare occasions when I need milk. And the German fresh milk only lasts for about a week in the fridge. Btw. I always store my eggs in the fridge, because I only need about 1 or 2 per week.
German, living in Philadelhpia for the last 20 years: you’re spot on.
What I would like to add, US sales people on average don’t know squad about the stuff they are selling, while their grumpy German counterparts could actually give you solid and informed advice, well, if they would bather. Just cultural differences.
When I am back in Germany, shopping, I stick out like a sore thumb. 😂
Unless you are in a German Baumarkt. The majority of this guy do not have any idea of what they are selling :-D
@@michaels1722 Yeah, granted. Maybe there is no Baumarktfachverkäuferausbildung? 😁
@@michaels1722 Though you never see employees in a Baumarkt - they seem to become invisible ;)
I like the customer service here - they leave me alone, perfect!
Jonathan prefers this too. :)
This is very interesting. I'm 77. Back in the 60's a friend and I hitch hiked to Greece from the UK. We met all nationalities on our travels. In Greece at the time the hygene standards at the time were practically non existant. After being there for a day or two many Americans became ill. The Europeans didn't. US food hygene standards were higher. I then asked myself the question, is super hygene always a good thing when it cuts down natural resistance. Brian Oosterbeek Netherlands
You weren't wrong, our immune systems need "training". While food standards are necessary, a grocery store or restaurant do not have to be sterilized and disinfected as if you were gonna do open heart surgery there.
Most likely an e-coli infection. Still really common in Egypt for example, nicknamed curse of the pharaohs.
Yes, hygene standards are higher in US, but allergies and autoimmune diseases (like e.g. lupus) incidences are higher too and that's not a coincidence.
Water is also different in different areas of the world, it has different bacteria in it, not necessarily bad but people visiting are not used to that
@@mohammeddavidzhang-singh5846
Although that's not the whole truth...
Most of the time it's people from urban areas suffering from allergies. Perhaps the higher pollution I'd say.
Die wirklich echte wahre Herausforderung ist schneller als die Aldi-Kassiererin zu sein. ;)
When we moved to Austria about two decades ago, there was this little detail. We went to an average grocery store to buy stuff. And at home, I by chance glanced at the carotte bag and noticed that it was sold to the grocer by the farm just across the street. We didn't even especially look for regionally sourced produce. It was unintrusively there.
And bagging your groceries was one of the most confusing stories I had in the U.S.. I wanted to pack my stuff in my backpack, as I was used to do. So the first thing I had to do was to unpack all the stuff the helpful people at the checkout counter bagged for me. And I somehow felt bad because they tried to be helpful, but made things worse.
Oh that's so funny! I was actually thinking you were going to say that they thought you were going to steal the groceries in your backpack. I'm not sure if you carried them through the story that way, which is common in Germany. But in the US people would think you're about to steal it.
@@TypeAshton welcome to Europe, we dont have your grade of paranoia....
We used to drive up to the black forest when we were kids. We used to go to an awesome playground in the woods that was made of logs and wood. It was amazing. So much fun.
You forgot to mention one thing: in an existing city - i.e. in most of Europe - the stores have to make do with the size of an available building or plot. This Christmas I revisited a store that was redesigned. One of their solutions was to build higher shelving; I’m 6’ so was asked several times by other customers, if I could reach for the upper shelf 😉
you are 6?
@@biglostboy 6 feet :)
My local supermarket is in a decommisioned catholic church. They kept some details like the stained-glass windows and the holy water basin intact. The benches and altar and such have of course been removed, but the internal layout is still in the form of a cross, looking from above.
And another former church in my town is now in use as a health centre, housing family doctors, pharmacy, etc.
I can totally relate, I love strolling in supermarkets in different countrys!
It is so fun right?! I think one of my most favorite ones we have visited lately was in the Netherlands.... all of the stroopwafels 😍😍😍
Mind you, US citizen - Ashton is talking the upper price region grocery stores here, REWE, Edeka, and the like. There are cheaper stores (Aldi, Netto, Norma) that sell imported trash for a penny a dozen. Still: even those stores for the masses (who are not academically educated persons able to afford to buy a house in one of the wealthiest regions of Germany - no envy, just facts) have a tendency to offer regional food and "Bio" or even "Demeter" quality
Packing my own stuff in Germany is the most stressful experience when it comes to shopping. It’s literally a war trying to put everything in the bags and pay as fast as I can because if it takes five seconds longer, you will hear sigh and see eye rolling from both people behind you and the cashier 🤣
For sure!! 😂
😂 keeps us young
I have a problem with the self-check-out machines at U S. Supermarkets. I can't keep up with them. Most people wait in long lines to have a cashier check them out.
People who drive to the store in Germany often have foldable plastic boxes in their cart that they can easily load all of their groceries into and which they then just put into their trunk and carry into their home. Other than that it's just a matter of practise. See: de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faltbeh%C3%A4lter (two photos on the right)
And here I am, thinking that I was the only person checking out supermarkets in every country I visit, because I think that gives you the best glimpse into their culture. I even have „preferred items“ in countries I visit more often.
Thank you for the video, I‘m feeling less alone now, as some friends considered me a wierdo for my pleasure to visit other countries‘ grocery stores.
You are not alone! 😊
For me it is also really important to go to a supermarket when I'm abroad. I really enjoy finding items I don't know and often I buy them to find out how they taste or how they work. If I like them that gives me the problem to find them in Germany or a website to order them 🙃
We are happy to hear we are not the only ones!! 😅😅😅
I totally agree. first time i made that experience was in a grocery store in iceland. Soo funny. And so much to learn!
Haha - I am a German with a British passport, who has just returned to Germany after 10+ years in the UK. The speed at which you get bombarded at (some) German supermarket checkouts is insane and causes me stress. However, it is slowly changing now at the more upmarket supermarkets in Germany, thankfully. However, in my experience German supermarket staff is super helpful ONCE you ask them a Q.
I live in Germany and I last year I have been in the US (Westcoast). My family had a culture shock about the friendliness and customer experience everywhere. Amazing!
Love your channel! This is by far the best (most complete) supermarket comparison I have seen between the US and Germany on CZcams! I really enjoy visiting supermarkets in every new city I go, I agree that you can learn a lot about a city’s (country’s) culture by visiting their supermarkets… Keep up the great work!
Thank you so much!
I think one aspect missing (or at least less mentioned) in this video is regarding efficiency and cheap prices. ALDI and LIDL are so typical German "inventions" and are successful in other states too. The concept basically is, have one product for every category, ideally source it yourself and have one "Eigenmarke" (house brand) for it. Then just put the stuff in their transport packaging in the shelves and have a small crew running the shop. It won't look that nice, you won't have great service, but it will be efficient and therefore cheap. This actually pressured all other supermarkets in Germany to adopt this concept at least to some degree.
We thought about getting into the costs, but that will be in another video. It can get quite complicated and we want to do it properly. This episode was more of an overview. But, thank you for the suggestion!
You always get what you pay for. Food prices in German supermarkts are ridiculously low compared to other countries. This results in imperfect presentation, less customer service, and also cashiers in most supermarkets are even permanently evaluated by their number of price scans per hour. Chats with customers would directly affect their performance metrics and as most customers know about that everybody is rushing to get their products into the bags. I am a German myself and always wonder why we generally are always caring for price more than for service and even quality.
Shopping in supermarkets is definitively not one of my favorite ativities. I´ve been to the States several times and it always took me so long until I finally found my stuff and got out of it, due to the gigantic dimensions of those markets and the very "relaxed and communicative" attitude of its employees. From that angle I prefer shopping in Germany. And btw, nicely asked the most employees in Germany are very friendly and helped me many times to find my goods.
This is so interesting! I actually work in a German supermarket and the stereotype is true to some extent. I'm German-American and therefore try to offer that great customer service to our shoppers but it's definitely not the norm. Also don't worry, yes it's literally in the job description that any worker is supposed to help a customer. I work at Rewe and it's one of the core values of the company. Unfortunately it hasn't reached every single employee though...
But, important detail : help a customer when he asks for help. Not help a customer who does not need any help, because that, in German (and general European context) would be called stalking... :-)
I am a spaniard living in the US and I have been in a lot of countries in Europe including Germany and I must say that the customer service lacks understanding of the customer service experience all over Europe, it is not country specific.. It is something that I hope the European markets realizes someday and begins to give it the attention it deserves. So don’t feel bad about saying so because it is true.
Thanks for the post. I love Germany and way of life in Germany.
When I moved to the USA the differences of packing surprised me. There is much more packaging here. In Germany, the stores had to take back packaging, if you wanted. This led to big changes because it increased the cost for the stores, which then put pressure on their vendors. They re-worked their packaging approach to reduce the cost. A positive development.
Interesting idea. Does it mean that, if you buy something, you can leave the packaging at the store?
@@SatumangoTheGreat Yes, the stores are required by by law to take back and dispose of the outer packaging , if the customers want to leave it there.
@@kieferngruen Thanks for answering. And that is a great idea.
I remember when Walmart struggled with German shoppers. My mom used to talk about it all the time.
Main thing I missed here though: I've not been in America, but in contrast to other european countries, It always feels like the german bread selection eclipses others' by miles. I do sometimes want some grainier bread and sometimes white or grey bread - being limited to one "Toast" feels aweful when on vacation.
Not surprising. Germany has the largest variety of breads and breadlike products in the world, by a considerable margin. You want to eat something? Germany has a bread to put it on.
We love our German bread as well!! SOOOO good.
although the wide variety doesnt atomatically mean that the bread is good, especially in the supermarket where you almost only get bread where the dough was deep freezed and made in big bakerys. at least from my experience and knowledge (im baking my own bread since years), germany, switzerland, austria, france and italy do have very good bread if you find a good bakery, every one of those countries does have its own bread speciality
"...the german bread selection eclipses others' by miles."
Austria can easyly keep up with Germany in the Bread-department.
@@MrPPunch69 Austria is actually Germany, why do you make a difference of it? :(
Living in the US for 4 years taught me that convenience comes before price ithere. Last time I was there, I found that prices in supermarkets are horrendous in comparison to Germany. Let alone one of the Schickimicki places like "Whole foods", which is a real Apotheke! Americans are willing to pay more for conveniences like bagging etc. There is more staff in the aisles of supermarkets/grocery stores as the wages are comparatively low(er) than the average wage of the customers. They do not mind, if some guy grabs and packs their food in 15 plastic bags, mostly double bags, so 30 all in all and then this person expects (rightfully) AND receives a tip in form of 2 - 5 dollars for this as this "job" is not really being paid for...the combination of low wages and tipping does not exist like this in Germany/Europe. I got used to the US-conveniences but also got used to the more "do it yourself" way back home. It is just different. What I found difficult at times was to find good quality food in regular supermarkets. After a while, I knew where to go/look.
The US is especially bad right now with inflation reaching a all time high. We paid 200 dollars for groceries while we were there and when I saw the total at the check out counter I almost fell over, I thought surely it would only be 100.
However, I would say that I can't speak for all grocers, but I've had a couple of family members work as baggers/cart-boys at our local grocery store chain and they LOVED it. they were paid double minimum wage, plus tips and bonuses for working the holidays or when the weather was bad. They also liked that they could stay on payroll while they went away to college and could pick up extra shifts when they came home during summer break.
I’m from Italy and would say that the supermarkets experience is quite similar with the German one. Having say that, my experience in living two years + in Houston (TX) was that yes, I went through the same shocking experience and I personally found very accurate what you are describing. What I just wish to say is that most of the time, at the local Food Mart, the chart boy (which was a very shocking experience to discover) was very often a 70+ years old man who was forced to do that because he wasn’t eligible for a decent pension, which comes to a completely different topic that makes Europe, together with the health system differences, so much human kind compared with the US. Much better social assistance system is what makes Europe a better place to stay compared with US. That’s my humble experience. Last but not least, I found very interesting and honest your videos and found the topics you are exploring very interesting and well structured! Keep going guy, well done!!!
@@TypeAshton The inflation is due to biden putting endless mandates to shut down the economy and maximize spending
I was an exchange student in the US and I have to say the most shocking moment was when they bagged groceries.. They put ONE cereal box in its own plastic bag :D I was like um what is happening
At the same time I miss a lot of the things from US supermarkets, it’s like almost always, everything has its up- and downsides
Well explained. Australia has Aldi, and we mostly use it. (Nationally: Coles, Woolworth, and the regional/local IGA; and other independent supermarkets should also be mentioned.) Our experience in France mirrors what you say.
Das mit den Eiern mache ich aber auch, ich Lager die lieber im Kühlschrank. Im Gegensatz dazu, wenn mich einer im Supermarkt ansprechen würde und fragen würde ob ich zurecht komme oder alles gefunden habe was ich brauche, würde ich vermutlich durchdrehen und glauben das derjenige denkt ich wäre zu blöd zum Einkaufen. Ist halt eine vollkommen andere Einstellung die die Leute hier haben. Auch das mit dem Einpacken meiner Ware, ich hab da mein eigenes System, wenn mir da einer rein pfuscht würde ich das eher nicht so toll finden. 😆
Sehe ich auch so. Ich bin alt und fit genug das selbst zu erledigen.
Ebenso würde ich niemals jmd. an meinen Ruckrack ran lassen um meinen Einkauf einzupacken.
I've been to America twice so far (albeit back in the 90s) and what struck me immediately was the endless variety of packaged goods - and a glaring lack of truly fresh produce (sausage, cheese, meat). Also, it was impossible to get smaller-sized packages or jars for, say, a single person. Maybe that has changed in the meantime? Also, there was this strange, artificial smell in the US supermarkets, kind of like air freshener. Should that perhaps psychologically encourage people to buy more? Is that still a thing?
What I also noticed is a sometimes very strange consumer behavior. For example, I saw an extremely overweight person in a diner who poured what felt like an extra 100 grams of sugar from a sugar shaker into their cola. Maybe everything is bigger and more convenient in the U.S., but it's definitely not more sustainable.
On the other hand, what annoys me about German supermarkets is how unrelaxed everyone is. At the checkout, you always feel the pressure of the following customers to quickly throw everything into the shopping cart and to pay as quickly as possible, so as not to take away anyone else's life time. And when you're standing in line at a checkout and another checkout opens, you experience Darwin's "survival of the fittest" principle firsthand, because practically everyone immediately rushes to the new checkout. The fact that this doesn't regularly lead to brawls, however, speaks for us Germans 😉
Regarding customer service in German supermarkets: In my experience, there is a clear north-south divide in Germany: The further you get into southern Germany, the more indifferent or unfriendly the supermarket employees become. Perhaps this is a purely subjective feeling, but here in the north it is completely normal to greet the cashier at ALDI with "Moin" and "Tschüss" and even exchange a word or two with her. When I did this once in Munich, I was looked at as if I were from another planet. (And of course I used the Bavarian version "Grüß Gott" and "Auf Wiedersehen" 😉)
Personally - since I'm German (with a slight affinity to the US lifestyle, I drive an American car, after all) - I prefer the German way of handling things in supermarkets. When you know what to buy, you're in and out again in less than 15 minutes, nobody invades your private space, and if you need help, you'll get it. All you have to do, is ask. I've never been disappointed yet. The rule is, if you want to be treated kindly and nicely, meet the other person at eye level. As a customer, you're supposed to be king, I know, but the monarchy has been abolished here since 1919 and employees in the supermarket aren't servants. Be friendly and add a smile. Always. And you'll be treated friendly and with a smile as well.
You probably went to the wrong area for cheese. The cheese you're used to is typically sold in the deli. You either have to go to the counter or there is a cold case right by the deli with all the different types of cheeses. I always have to help the tourist Germans and Swiss in my area. They always go to the area where the cheddar, American cheese, etc is. You don't want to pay the price for the cheese by the deli. I bought 100g of Gruyere that was the same kind I get in Switzerland. I paid $10 for it and this was cheap. In Switzerland it's $3 I think. For a variety of sausages you have to go to a butcher. People in the US typically don't eat sausage. That's a very German thing.
🤣 you need help!
Wir im Süden sind nicht unfreundlich, nennen wir es eher andersfreundlich. 😁
Thanks for watching and this great comment! Funny, we also didn't know what was happening the first time we were at a supermarket and a new cash register opened up. It really was an "every man for himself" sort of scenario. But in the US, if a new one opens...the polite and traditional thing to do is to offer it to the person who had been waiting the longest (not always because sometimes there are people in a hurry).
@@UnExcited42 Or you can ask to be let ahead if you're in a real hurry and with only a handful of items. I don't remember ever being rejected the few times I did that.
I loved you pointing out the differences in egg handling. I have to say though, I was raised to put eggs in the fridge (here in Germany) and it's quite a usual thing to find an extra little tray in e.g. the door of a fridge to put the eggs in. It never occured to me that it's kind of weird that we consider it normal to buy unfrigerated eggs, but keep them in the fridge ourselves. Maybe with the thought that they then last longer..? Loved the Ferris Bueller's Day Off clip! "Fry? Fry? Fry?"
Same here in the Netherlands: eggs are unrefrigerated in the supermarkets, but most people store them in the fridge at home.
There are actually two dates on the boxes of eggs in Germany: the refrigerate-by date and the expiration date. You only have to refrigerate your eggs starting with the refrigerate-by date to keep them fresh until they expire
Whilst I was living in Athens I had a friend from Chicago who had lived in Germany & she always went shopping with her permanent bag. I thought it funny. But after moving to Germany I too did the same thing & it feels totally normal. Lidl in the UK was thought by my friends in the UK to be a supermarket for gypsies as I wanted to go there whilst visiting London. My friends asked my why do you want to go there? So it is fun having experienced different countries & cultures & ways of life. There is no perfect country each has something special.
Our family in the states always question why we go shopping with our own bags, it's strange to them too. In Germany now, we feel guilty if we ever forget our bags and have to buy one.
Hello Ashton, thank you for another look into Germany and US differences. I have never been to either country to shop but it is an interesting comparison. As an Australian, I like to be able to buy fresh produce so I can cook from my food from scratch. We also have many choices, and high quality food here in Australia with influences from all over the world. Since Covid and so much attention on climate change, people have been forced to rethink their shopping habits..I like to shop locally, cook my own meals and make healthy choices . . I still like to choose my own groceries and have many choices within 5km of home. I have a choice of Aldi, Coles, Woolworths, independent supermarkets and, at least 3 independent fruit & veg retailers. This is typical of most suburbs in Melbourne. Food waste is a big problem here and for many other countries.
Hi there! Thank you so much for this comment! Really cool to hear a little bit about what your exxperience is like in Australia (BTW we would love to come to your country some day!).
Also, we sound very similar in our cooking habits. Jonathan and I like to also shop locally and enjoy cooking together. It is something that we kind of bonded over when we were dating and I love that we continue to make healthy meals together at home. ❤️
It would be wonderful if you could come to Australia sometime in the future. There is so many great experiences to be had in every state of Australian
sounds like a good middle way :) And if you also get enough healthy food you are also satisfied :)
Very interesting to hear your take and experience on this topic.
There are some places similar to the big chains in the US. Hypermarkets like "real" for example. Their slogan is "Einmal hin, alles drin. " which basically means one stop shop for anything. However, their interior is rather basic. Other chains like Edeka have been modernizing the interior of their stores to give them more of that posh high class vibe.
Regarding Walmart, I wonder if they had studied the German market and the consumers enough. Stores like Aldi and Lidl have been such staple in Germany and on top of that you have various other chains (sometimes from the same parent company but with a different range of brands) So the market has already been fairly well covered for a long time. In fact Aldi and Lidl have been successfully expanding into foreign markets over the last years. Aldi is already one of of the largest grocery retailers in the US.
Btw, at "Rewe" you can order online and have your groceries delivered to your home or pick them up at the entrance. (There are dedicated parking spaces near the entrance)
I'm pretty sure Walmart just waltzed in and assumed they could just do whatever they want, doing little to no research. Would certainly explain just how much the ran the whole operation into the ground and why they kept pushing.
Aldi and Lidl also operate with profit margins and price ranges that Walmart simply couldn't hope to match.
We had one in our city. The worst thing was that they tried to implement their version of customer service. You couldn’t turn around without having someone working there near you. Wasn’t nice.
Walmart did no research - the biggest problem they had was the german law. For example they wanted to disallow employees to have a relationship with another employee and other shenanigans. And they wanted to sell items under prime cost to get one over their competition and that is not allowed. The federal cartel office used hard words to stop that. Walmart did not understand the level of salary, the german unions, the law, competition regulations, level of prices and last but not least behavior of the consumers in Germany. Walmart has a one tactic fits all strategy - destroy competition via pricing region by region until the competition leaves the market. That works in many places, but not in Germany. And Stiftung Warentest proved later that Walmart was not even able to be cheaper than the traditional expensive chains like REWE or Edeka. And many people were annoyed by the american philosophy. People complained about the traditional greeter that they "were harrassed by a strange person in the shop" etc. When they left Germany Kaufland, Aldi and Lidl used some of the old Walmart shops for their own stores.
@@seanthiar Walmart bought "Wertkauf", a supermarket at that time in germany. In Darmstadt, Wertkauf was a good-quality supermarket at that time, where you had a very good choice of french wines etc. When it became Walmart, all the quality was gone. It was not organized in any manner, and by the way not nicely presented as Ashton showed in the video. But they were not cheaper than Edeka or REWE, which are much nicer in quality and presentation.
When it was bought by Real, from one day to another, it became again somehow well organized, not as good as it was before, but okay.
Just wanted to say hi and tell you I really enjoy watching your videos! When I came back from a 4-month-stay in the U.S. a couple of years ago I totally experienced that ‘culture shock’ you were talking about back in the U.S. . I thought people in the Supermarkt were almost rude in Berlin and I missed everyone just being so nice and polite even if that wasn’t 100% authentic - I didn’t mind that because it still contributed to me having a good day and a good mood throughout the day.
Thank you so much. I am thrilled that you enjoy our content and glad you could also connect with this Supermarket experience!
Ha ha! Ashton, the service part was hilarious AND true. Thank you!
Thank you. 😂❤️
You forgot one big difference! Groceries in the US are much more expensive than in Germany. You can hardly find a bottle of wine under 10 dollars or a small cereal box under 5 dollars. Some items are twice or even three times more than they are in Germany.
wrong !
We will cover this later on. It can be a lengthy discussion for where these costs come from.
@@inka87871
true:
czcams.com/video/c3HSly7EnNQ/video.html
than go to ALDI(US) czcams.com/video/AaktzUQsIkE/video.html
As an Italian who's been living in Germany for five years now, I have to say that I love the shopping experience here, especially when it comes to groceries.
In general, when shopping, I like to roam around the shop unbothered, and if I get asked if I need help I often feel it's an approach with the intention to make a sale.
Back to groceries, in Munich I discovered again the joy of visiting the neighborhood shops for specific items (bakery, fruit shop, etc), a habit that has been long lost in Italy, where what we call hypermarkets have almost completely replaced the small shops (at least in the bigger cities).
Sometimes I get the feeling that the visual appeal of the products - when it comes to fresh produce - is somehow more relevant than the actual quality here in Germany as well: I don't mind having one or two spots on my nectarines, as long as they don't taste like fresh water. This is where I still miss Italy a lot.
Tbh I'm so glad that I am as a customer here in Germany can run around freely in the supermarket without having a stranger, smiling weirdly, run to me and ask if I need help. If I need help I will go and ask!! Otherwise: leave me alone!
An interesting comparison. However as a german living in and around Freiburg most of my life I may add some tidbits: You mentioned the local market "Münstermarkt" which is a regular occurence 6 days a week. Smaller towns or villages might also have smaller markets and these are only held once or twice a week. So better organise your shopping list accordingly. The german supermarket you showed was the Rewe located in a basement. There things are kinda condensed. If you look for example at the Edeka in Gundelfingen, things a little spacier. And I think you have to really watch closly with these regional goods. Looking at the produce or meat section, there are a lot of loopholes in the laws to declare products an goods as regional or "BIO" .
How do you keep pushing out this high-quality content every week? Do you secretly employ a team of researchers and editors or what... This is rapidly becoming my favorite channel about German culture from an immigrant perspective. Props to you
I think the topic of city structure, R-1 zoning, the different connotations of "inner city neighborhoods" in Germany and the US, urban sprawl and how that affects transport options and quality of life might be a topic that could be right down your alley, have you seen "Why City Design is Important (and Why I Hate Houston)" by Not Just Bikes for the Dutch immigrant perspective?
Thank you so much for the compliment! We do all of the work ourselves.
Your second point is also a great suggestion. Given my PhD dissertation this is something I can dig into pretty well. I can get there in some later videos. :)
I wondered that myself. Videos are always top quality. Love them. :)
@@TypeAshton It was many year ago when I listened to a documentary on the radio about how US retailers designed their shop locations. The gist was they know their customers and income structure pretty well from the use of credit cards and credit applications. They took that data and calculated the center of income "gravity" to set up a central location out in the woods if necessary. Everybody had a car anyway and needed to drive. That way land was cheap and the customer base tapped. Not possible in Germany because the use of credit cards is/waas not so widespread. And not every German had a car.
What I think is a big difference is the location and thinks commung from this.
In germany the Supermarkt is normally located within the residance area. You regulary also go there just picking of a few things.
In america zhey are often located at the edge of town with huge parking lots, making shopping also a "trip".
In America many supermarkets are also within towns, at least for 'newer' parts of cities. In Kansas City we were visited, they are extremely easy to get to... but only by car. So yes, if you're bringing a family it often turns into a 'trip' and you get everything you need for the entire week.
In Germany, walking or cycling to the store is usually easy and common. So, only a few items are necessary and you go a few times a week. We do enjoy this more than driving and loading up. :)
When living in the US I kept the German habit of having a plastic Klappbox in my car. I also kept the habit of using it when buying groceries.
You will irritate a lot of cashiers/baggers if you tell them you don't want any bags and they should just put the items into the box. You will also get a good amount of funny looks from other shoppers :)
@knackwursterik That's very interesting! When my family would take our summer vacation to visit relatives in the South(U.S.), stores put groceries in cardboard boxes. I think it was neat, because you didn't have to lug all those bags.
Summer time months I visited my relatives and we noticed there was smarter bags for many items and in the USA we have so much unneeded garbage from food containers and ready-made food boxes 📦 we see many things "recent times" many people agree we can simplify. Less waste, more environment friendly. 👍✅️🙏 Thanks to Europe for faster adoption towards "Green, or New energy" related practices.
I had to giggle when you mentioned the service from “taking time at the cash desk, someone packing your stuff and bringing it to the car”. It always gave me nightmares when shopping in the US or Canada.
I didn’t want anyone else to grab my stuff and pack 4 items in 6 bags. That waste of plastic bags is so bad. So I’d rather pack it myself and leave 😅
Also I wonder if you have ever been to bigger stores like Marktkauf, Globus or Kaufland? There you’ll find everything under one roof. I think they are more comparable to Target and co. and you have a much wider selection than at Rewe or other supermarkets. There is a difference between Discounter, SB Warehouses and supermarkets. E.g. I think Rewe is good for the local stuff but it actually never meets my expectations of a proper selection of other goods.
And by the way, I refrigerate my eggs when I get home and I don’t know any German who doesn’t ☺️😉
And yes, even I have the feeling to bother the supermarket staff in Germany when asking for something 😄
We haven't been to the big stores yet, we typically will walk to our local Rewe or Edeka. However it looks like we need to visit one of the bigger ones. :)
Nun dann muss ich sagen, Eier kommen bei uns erst nach einigen Wochen in den Kühlschrank... also wenn es nötig wird! Eier halten sich wirklich lange! Aber das muss ja jeder selber wissen, wie er es mag.
in Canada you will "fit in" at Loblaws chains as you bag your own and they will NOT EVEN OFFER to help bag and will start the next order feeding it onto a different bagging area
this is NORMAL for ALL of there store brands all across Canada to the point the competitor is opening NEW chain of the same style of stores
Great content once again, thanks for your work and research.My sister lives in Boulder,Colorado which is not a low-cost place to stay in the first place but shopping at the local Wholefoods blew me away.Now I know why it's called Wholepaycheck;)
End of last year a Globus Supermarkt opend here,that's one of the closest things to a one-stop source place to shop just like Walmart,Target or Carrefour in France.But to honest I do like to shop in small shops even when that requires a bit more planning and mobility
But on the top of the shopping experience is the local market twice per week.Nothing can beat that.
We LOVE visiting the local farmer's market. Such a great experience and we are happy to give them our money for fresh produce.
When I saw your videotitle I thought oh no not another one of these. It surprised me how informative yours had been. Thank you for the brillant work you came up with. I know it to be mentioned several times in the comments, the comparison to the US with visual proof impressed me the most. I saw lots of 'Expats' videos. I really love that outside-view. Keep the good work up. Thx again.
Thank you so much!
Super-LOL on how you tiptoed around the customer service bit 😂😂😂
Generally Switzerland and Germany have pretty similar shopping experiences but there's one difference when it comes to recycling. Switzerland used to have Pfand in my youth but abandoned it almost completely probably in the 90s iirc. They did this because people were simply so obedient and the return rate so high that there was no necessity for it. To this day there are very few things that have a Pfand, usually expensive things like gas bottles or local shops who want their special glad jars back. And this law-abiding and tidy way of doing things is actually quite typical. Swiss people get very upset if there are no public trash cans because of terrorism or whatnot and they can't dispose of a wrapping paper in the proper way.
Oh wow, I had no idea that was the case in Switzerland! That's wonderful. Thank you for sharing.
25:40
So, I'm not familiar enough with Germany to say what's the case there.
But here in Norway it's about politeness.
Approaching you and offering to help you without being asked would be considered a invasion of your privacy and rude, or at least it used to be.
Giving you some space is a sign of respect here.
If you need help you're expected to *ask* for it and it'll of course be given.
But pushing said help on you?
Honestly that's the most offensive and insulting thing anyone can ever do to me...
I would *never* return to a store that tried to behave like what you described in that American store.
Doesn't mean that there's anything wrong with stores doing that in the US.
But yeah, a company doing that *here* would be out of business quite quickly...
Doesn't matter if it's a local company or a foreign one.
For America, I would argue customer service is a left over relic of classism due to slavery and immigration mixing with the people who benefited from capitalism and racism. Post WW2 just solidified it because of American consumerism.
I LOVE visiting grocery store in other countries! But like you were saying, I have been ordering most of mine online since the start of the pandemic. I went into the store I used to go to recently and after not going there more than a couple times, after I used to go almost daily, it was a weird sort of nostalgia, almost like I was visiting another country I used to live in.
I can very easily explain to you why we in Germany do not have such a "consumer service" in the supermarket as it is probably the case in America. Here, for one thing, it is traditionally unusual to wrap up the purchases of the customers because, as adults, they can do that very well on their own. But we do help people with disabilities who actually need help. People without handicaps do not need this help. On the other hand, we have fewer staff in supermarkets. There is no person who is specifically responsible for packing groceries. Even the cashiers themselves are not exclusively responsible for scanning the groceries. We have to put the new merchandise on the shelves, bake the bread and rolls when they run out, accept and put away the new delivery of goods and clean up the store. There is also a difference between supermarkets and discounters. Supermarkets are bigger and have a little more staff (but still less than grocery stores in the U. S. I guess), while discounters have fewer people, maybe only three in the evening. There is no time left to pack each customer's shopping and carry it after them. There is simply no staff to do this, and most German customers wouldn't even want that, because it doesn't exist in this country. But I understand that this must be a shock for people who come to our supermarkets for the first time, especially if they are used to it differently.
I think a lot of the “food spoils faster” is driven by how in Germany you are expected to visit the store more often. In the USA, going to the supermarket is such an ordeal, that you really only do it every other week. So, you’re buying food for like two-weeks at a time, and so that food has to last, right? Meanwhile, here in Germany, you’re usually visiting the Supermarkt every other day, so why would I buy a 2 kg bag of apples, that would be absurd. So, foods do not have to be prepared so that they can last two-ish weeks of sitting in storage before use. This means more preservatives, but also just like… potatoes sprayed with no-bud to keep them from budding, etc.
Basically, because shopping is so much less overhead to do, we do it more often, meaning we don’t need long-term storage foods, meaning stores are not incentivized to figure out how to make the food last longer.
Preservative techniques are old as humankind e.g. with salt or in former times home canning of fruits or vegetables
@@ravanpee1325 Indeed. But newer techniques to keep fresh fruits and veg fresh longer is a big business in the USA, precisely because consumers are expecting them to last longer.
It’s like orange cheddar. The market wants XY, so the providers make XY, which makes market expect more XY, which makes providers more dependent on XY.
@@puellanivis I know, but you can often taste the difference and it also have consequences for your health e.g. if you move from the US to Europe the period of a woman can change, because of hormones in animal products.
That's another good point we didn't mention in the video. Yes, most families will go do their shopping for an entire weak. Houses have massive refrigerators and freezers to accomodate all of the food for the family.
But, we are happy to go to the story a few times a week now and casually get what we need for dinner that night and the next.
@@TypeAshton i think it also spoils faster because it lacks several poisons that are regularly sprayed on american (and other countries) fields
The plastic bag tax actually kind of exists in Germany too. German Supermarkets are not allowed to give you the bags for free. So if you want one you have to pay like 14ct.
Plastic bag are forebidden since january 1st of this year. Before that, they were taxed
What I love about Whole Foods is is the huge selection of fresh produce. The Alnatura is comparison is like a small locally run family shop. Also the size of the shopping carts matches the size difference of the chain stores.
To be totally honest, Whole Foods is our favorite grocery store to visit. We also call it Whole Paycheck because it's insanely expensive. However most of the time you are paying for the quality and the exceedingly good service.
Thank you for showing and commenting the 'difference' and what we can take away from that, in stead of just stating some often personal judgment of what is to be the better or the worse of two.
And also in customer service you find this difference, like you justly conclude is a mirror of our cultures and sub-cultures. As for on customer service is the fact that you are helped with almost everything for some kind of customers, the next customer rather chooses her/his products without disturbance and will indicate/ask for help only when needed.
It is good to be (or become) aware of our differences, without those the world would be rather boring.
Very accurate video actually ! Having the opportunity to travel for work in many countries around the globe, I always try to spend some time in the supermarkets or grocery stores. You learn A LOT about the culture and the customs of the country.
But living in Freiburg you surely had the opportunity to visit the French supermarkets in Colmar, Mulhouse or Strasbourg, don't you ?
Yes, we have been over the border multiple times to do some shopping. It actually feels pretty American to us and includes some very high quality food. We really enjoy it.
@@TypeAshton French supermarkets really have higher quality produce and are huge. I don't know whether you noticed the current uproar in France because of cheap baguettes being offered in some supermarkets. This really sums up French grocery stores. They consistently spend more in food than Germans. Which is why all the good vegetables are sold in Italy, France and Spain, whereas the lower quality stuff is delivered to Germany. We get what we pay for.
I chuckled at your description of "American" though. I was to the US a few times only, to Vegas and to LA to be precise, work related in both cases. There I took your approach and went to the grocery stores to see them first hand. The 7/11 in Vegas and the various stores I went to in LA felt a lot more similar to German supermarkets (in size and variety of items) than to French ones, except for all the cheap and sugar rich food they carried (does one really need frosting on top of everything?).
So I guess "American" also varies heavily by region, just like Germany. Your experience in Freiburg is very different from what you'd find in Eastern Germany when going to Kaufland or similar chains. They are more like small scale versions of French supermarkets and very different from Rewe, Edeka, Aldi and the likes.
The point is: I don't want an employee talking to me, it's bad enough that when I have to buy clothes there is always someone coming at you... it feels like some kind of harassment. If I want help in a store I ask for it. If I don't ask leave me alone. And I like to buy my stuff at Aldi or Lidl, their cashiers are efficient, therefore fast and professional
Talking about customer service in Germany! You are absolutely right. Even for me as a german its a pain in the...I used to live in Canada, Japan and I went shopping in the US. I know its a superficial behavior, but in the end it makes you much happier than a grumpy cashier
My wife and I were stationed at Hahn Air Force Base in Germany from 1985 to 1988. While most military personnel would shop at the BX or Commissary (on Base). We liked to go shopping at a local Supermarkt called Globus Handelshof. It was a much more relaxing (and authentic) shopping experience than dealing with the on-base hustle and bustle. I miss that.
Another great video, yes ma'am!!!
Great thing talking about technicalities such as USDA stuff (the eggs!) and how much food goes to waste, and the plastic bag issue.
I'm from Spain and watching the video I guess we Europeans tend to think like kind of the same in some regards, even Germans and Spaniards being sooo different. We don't enjoy as much "virgin land vastness" as in the States (the continent is much smaller than the US, especially if we only talk about western Europe, and most of the land is already urbanised since many centuries ago, as you may guess), so being real estate something somewhat scarce it makes sense aisles or corridors are actually tighter than those in the US (do you really, I mean REALLY need "all" that space between fridges in the US?).
Here in Spain the plastic bag shift was taken sort of badly by many people at first, but because people eventually understand there's a big issue with plastic and climate change, we accepted it and now we usually reuse plastic bags or bring our bags from home.
I also have the impression that in huge European supermarkets (such as Carrefour, Aldi...) everything is also "picture perfect" as in the US, whereas the produce at your local grocery store (small local stores) or local markets tends to be more "natural looking".
And in Spain we like to do our shopping and not be "bothered" by supermarket workers offering to help and invading our personal bubble. If I want to know where's the veggies, I ask and they tell me, no biggie. And at the check out we fill the bags ourselves and sometimes the cash person would help, but only if there's not many people waiting or we customers are really slow filling the bags.
The reason why I feel uncomfortable with someone packing my groceries is the feeling of exploiting another person. Which might not be rational, but you describing a person that is paid for carrying my things and smalltalking made me really uncomfortable. I associate someone carrying my stuff which I could easily do so myself with "paid slavery" or colonial in a way.
Hi there! I can't speak for all grocery stores, but the ones in our area.... the bagging and cart jobs are highly sought after by local high schoolers. They pay double minimum wage (20 dollars per hour) plus tips, bonuses during the holiday season, and extra wages when the weather is bad. Plus my cousin who worked there was able to keep his job while he was in college. They kept him on the payroll and gave him the choice to either be transferred to another store near his University to pick up hours when he wanted, or he could just come back and work the summertime when he was home on break. They were such a wonderful employer to him and he always talks about how much he loved that job.
I can understand that this could make someone feel uncomfortable. However, in the US this service is seen as genuine hospitality.
@@TypeAshton thank you for clearing the confusion here. I didn't know any of the conditions for workers of that kind. I assume that - in case we had these workers here- they would be paid a minimum wage. So maybe that's why it feels so uncomfortable. Different expectations about how the people are really treated❤️
Honestly... it is one of the best vids I have ever seen about this topic. You really did the "extra step" into the cultural society thingy (not just the pure comparison) and it was sooo worth it. Your vid was new, fresh, creative and on top really fun to watch. Respect.
Oh and Jonathans delicious lookin' omlette... jeez... it's a self seller. Yummy! ;D
Thank you so much for watching! We were hoping to dig a bit deeper than just a superficial comparison of product.
I was in the US ONE time for about 11 days ... and went to a couple of grocery stores (not even the massive ones because we were in New York City) and EVERY TIME I check out here in Germany I notice how fast I have to do everything and sometimes feel stressed about it xD. It's quite funny to me (especially because I was born and raised in Germany and have never lived in another country). xD
There is an emphasis on locally made goods, but also the desire to offer everything all around the year. That means that "out of season" fruits and vegetables are typically imported (sometimes from far away) and often bred to have a longer shelf life at the expense of taste. There are recent adjustments though: Here in Austria we have regionally grown tomatoes using geothermal heat so they are actually available throughout the seasons. They are a bit more expensive than those brought in from other places, but also fresher.
For reasons of health, quality and environment, I try to buy locally made goods whenever possible. Can't do that with bananas but I don't consume those every day.
And thank you, I don't want anyone to talk to me at the supermarket. I'm already irritated when they say Grüß Gott (I'm an introvert and I don't like starting a conversation unless it's worth the effort). I want clarity. Shopping is not an experience, it's a thing you do on the way and you're happy to get it done in ten minutes and have everything you need. Hence also the super fast service at the cash desk, running things over the scanner at lightning speed. I also don't need a person to pack my bags for me, putting heavy bottles on top of the strawberries. I have my own system, using one bag for everything that needs to be cooled and another for the rest, heavy things go on the bottom.
It should be noted that there are different types of supermarkets. The big one that has a huge selection of everything and a non-food section, but at slightly higher places. And the discounter, like Aldi or Lidl or Penny-Markt, with a moderate selection plus some items offered for a limited time (including household goods or even computers at very attractive prices). Absolutely no customer service there, you have to know what you want, but then you can get good value for money.
Bonus points for showing pictures of Freiburger Münstermarkt; that brings up childhood memories! In the season it's always best to buy from the producer directly, the goods are freshest and it also really helps the producers if the money they get is not dictated by big distribution chains.
Fellow introvert! 🙂
I usually go to to the supermarket very early (around 8.00) because less people.
But not ALDI on Monday or Thursday mornings.... 😱
Lieben Gruß 🙋🏻♀️