Very different economic crises. The crisis of 2008-2009 saw a decrease in food products of six percent in German households, and that of Covid an increase of six percent.

Demand for restaurants and lodging services has plummeted and consumption has been reduced by 33 percent.

The German consumer has moved towards grilling and cooking products and has left aside the 'snack' range and the new generation 'ready to eat' products.

The range of vegetables has grown in cabbages, brassicas, peppers, garden products and traditional range, according to the report 'Grocery purchases in the pandemic', which you can read exclusively only in F&H magazine.

Classic grilling and cooking items benefited the most from the change in consumer behavior.

These were not only bought more frequently, but also in large quantities. "Now the family had to go back to having food at home," says Thomas Els, Market Analyst at AMI.

Hot dishes have been made more at home and it was German retail and specialty stores that filled this need.

All the stores benefited from this situation in one way or another, "although the most benefited were specialized stores and direct marketing to buy fresh food," says Els.