Grocery Shopping in Germany for Students: Stores, Apps, Pfand (2026)

Grocery shopping Germany students do every week is the biggest controllable cost after rent. The good news: a cheap shop is easy once you know which store type to use, which app to install, and that bottles are worth money.

This is the detailed article behind where to buy what in Germany. Budget totals are in cost of living and the cost of living calculator.

TL;DR

Aldi vs Lidl vs Rewe for students

Aldi vs Lidl vs Rewe students comparisons usually end with "it depends on what is closest". There is no dated, independent 2026 basket study that names a cheapest chain, so do not trust a blog that does. What differs is the store type.

Own brands are the real discount

Full-range supermarkets compete with discounters through their own lines:

• Rewe: ja! (budget), REWE Beste Wahl, REWE Bio
• Edeka: Gut & Günstig (budget), EDEKA Bio
• Kaufland: K-Classic (budget), K-Bio
• Lidl: category brands such as Milbona (dairy), Sondey (baked goods), Freeway (drinks), Biotrend (organic)
• dm: Balea (body care), Denkmit (cleaning)
• Rossmann: Isana (body care), Domol (cleaning)

Price signals from official data: food prices in Germany were +0.1% year on year in August 2026. Eggs were up 15.2% and fresh vegetables up 5.2%, while butter fell 29.9% (Destatis). Seasonal produce and own-brand dairy are where students save.

Fake discounts are illegal

A shop advertising a price cut must measure it against its lowest price in the previous 30 days. The Federal Court of Justice confirmed this against Netto's advertising in October 2025. "Was €3.99" signs that ignore last week's €2.49 are unlawful.

Lidl Plus, Rewe Bonus, and Payback in 2026

Lidl Plus Rewe Bonus Payback 2026 is a different map from what older blogs show. Loyalty is app-based now, and three partnerships moved in 2025.

DeutschlandCard (which Edeka used before) is winding down services step by step until 30 November 2026. If you have points, redeem them now.

Rewe Bonus rules worth knowing: credit can be redeemed from €1 up to €100 a day, is never paid out as cash, and expires on 31 January after 36 months (Rewe Bonus).

Lidl Plus registration needs SMS verification, so you need a working German number first (SIM guide).

Pfand Germany bottle deposit

Pfand Germany bottle deposit is money you paid at the till and get back when you return the container. Single-use bottles and cans marked with the Pfand logo carry at least €0.25 under §31 of the Packaging Act (VerpackG).

What changed: since 2022, juice, wine, and alcoholic mixed drinks in single-use plastic and cans carry Pfand. Since 1 January 2024, milk and milk drinks in single-use plastic bottles do too. Baby drinks remain exempt.

Return rules:

• A shop must accept single-use containers of every material it sells, whatever the brand. If it sells cans, it takes all Pfand cans.
• Shops under 200 m² (kiosks, petrol stations) only take back brands they sell.
• Reusable bottles: shops only take back types they sell.

Source: Verbraucherzentrale Baden-Württemberg.

Pfandautomat how it works

Pfandautomat how it works in practice: most supermarkets have a return machine near the entrance.

1. Feed bottles and cans in one at a time, label first. Do not crush them; the machine needs to read the logo and barcode.
2. Press the button when you finish. The machine prints a receipt (Pfandbon).
3. Hand the receipt in at the checkout of that store, on your next shop or as cash back.
4. Crates of reusable bottles usually go into a separate crate slot.

Machine receipts are a store practice rather than a legal form, so cash them in at the store that printed them. Rejected containers usually lack the logo or are damaged.

Is tap water safe Germany

Is tap water safe Germany students ask in week one. Yes. Quality is set by the Drinking Water Ordinance (Trinkwasserverordnung), and the Federal Environment Agency rates it as mostly very good, with limit values very rarely exceeded.

Source: Stiftung Warentest.

In old buildings, let water that sat in the pipes overnight run until it feels cold before drinking. Lead pipes had to be removed or shut off by 12 January 2026, with extensions possible. If your building is very old, ask the landlord (WG contract checks).

Indian grocery store Germany online

An Indian grocery store Germany online order covers most staples, and larger cities also have physical Indian and Asian grocers.

Price anchors from Jamoona on 4 October 2026: Aashirvaad Chakki Atta 10 kg at €15.79 (about €1.58 per kg), basmati 5 kg at €12.59 (about €2.52 per kg). Prices move; check before you order.

In normal supermarkets:

• Paneer: Rewe lists a paneer ("Indian Style", 200 g) in many stores.
• Hirtenkäse is not paneer. It is a brined, salty white cheese like feta. If Rewe is out, make paneer at home from milk and lemon juice or vinegar.
• Rice, lentils, chickpeas, and spices are in most supermarkets, often in the international aisle.

Too Good To Go Germany students

Too Good To Go Germany students use to buy unsold food at a discount. Shops, bakeries, and supermarkets list surprise bags in the app; you pay in the app and collect at a set time.

Free options:

• foodsharing.de runs 1,325 Fairteiler (public food-sharing shelves and fridges) and had about 489,000 users in April 2026. Take what you need.
• Tafel food banks serve people on low income. Each local Tafel sets its own rules, and a BAföG notice is listed as proof of need. International students without BAföG should ask the local Tafel directly; supply is limited and meant for those who need it most (Tafel FAQ).

Weekly shop routine that works

1. Install the app for your nearest discounter and one supermarket.
2. Plan around the weekly flyer (Prospekt): new offers often start on Monday and Thursday.
3. Buy own brands by default; brand only where you notice a difference.
4. Shop on Saturday. Sunday is closed (shop hours).
5. Keep a Pfand bag by the door and cash it in on every shop.
6. Order Indian staples in one €39+ basket every month or two.

Common mistakes

• Buying bottled water when tap water is safe
• Throwing away €0.25 bottles
• Keeping an old Payback card for Rewe
• Ignoring DeutschlandCard points before 30 November 2026
• Buying toiletries at a supermarket instead of dm or Rossmann
• Buying Hirtenkäse as paneer

Official sources

• Verbraucherzentrale, Pfand rules
• Umweltbundesamt, drinking water quality
• Destatis, consumer prices August 2026
• Rewe Bonus
• Payback, Edeka launch

Related: Where to buy what · Student discounts · Cost of living · First 30 days