REVEALED: The products getting cheaper at German supermarkets

Germany's rising cost of living has continued to sting consumers, especially when it comes to prices at the supermarket checkout. In both February and March, the average price of food items jumped by 2.4 percent year on year, with dramatic hikes on everyday products. 

Compared to early 2024, the price of butter jumped up by almost 28 percent this year, while fruit, vegetables and milk products all went up by around four percent per annum.

Though inflation sunk slightly to 2.2 percent in March, the seemingly unstoppable rise of food prices has continued to drive up daily costs. This means that households are still feeling the pinch - despite prices easing off in other areas like energy.

On Saturday, however, there was a bit of brighter news for consumers: Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd announced that they were slashing their prices on a number of products.

Speaking to Bild, a spokesperson described the move as the "biggest price drop in history". The discounter is known for setting the prices in German supermarkets, leading to speculation that a further wave of price cuts could be on the way.

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According to the tabloid, a number of other supermarkets - including Edeka, Netto, Norma, Lidl, Rewe and Penny - have either reduced their prices or announced they are planning to do so. 

If the trend continues, it could be the start of a long-awaited turnaround in exorbitant prices at the till. 

Which items are getting cheaper - and where?

At the discounters Aldi, Norma and Lidl, the latest drop in prices primarily affects oil, bread, muesli, breakfast cereals and spreads like honey and Nutella.

In other words, it's just got a lot cheaper to enjoy a hearty breakfast. 

At Aldi, for example, Golden Bridge muesli and cornflakes have both gone down in price: a 750g box of muesli now costs €2.29 as opposed to €2.49, while cornflakes have dropped from €1.59 to €1.45. 

Goldähren wholewheat toast has been reduced by 20 percent in price at Aldi Nord, dropping from €0.99 to €0.79 for 500g. At Aldi Süd, Goldähren's 750g wholewheat sandwich toast has gone down in price from €1.29 to €1.09.

Cooking oils - one of the first products to soar in price during the inflation rush of 2022 - are also being reduced across the board. Instead of €5.49, a 500ml bottle of Bellasan olive oil will now set customers back €4.99 at Aldi. Rapeseed oil from the same brand is also getting cheaper, with 1l now costing €1.49 instead of €1.69. 

Aldi-rival Lidl has been quick to follow the discounter's price cuts, mainly downscaling prices in the breakfast cereal and bakery aisles. Crownfield Knusper Schoko and fruit muesli have both been reduced by around 8 percent to €2.29 for a 750g box, while frosted flakes from the same brand have dropped by 11 percent from €2.79 to €2.49 per box. 

Meanwhile, wholemeal and white 'American-style' sandwich bread has sunk in price from €1.29 to €1.09 for a 750g loaf. 

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At discounter Norma, bread, cereal, spreads and cooking oils are also been targeted for price cuts. Sommerland Waldhonig (forest honey), for example, has dropped by 17 percent in price from €2.99 to €2.49 per jar. Nulacta haselnut creme spread (Norma's generic 'Nutella') now costs 15 percent less at €1.69 as opposed to €1.99 per jar.

Multicorn bread from the Kornmark and Harry brands has also been included in the wave of discounts, with 500g loaf costing €1.19 instead of €1.29. Delicia muesli bars, meanwhile, have dropped from €1.49 to €1.29, equating to a 13 percent price cut.

At Edeka, meanwhile, the price cuts have primarily been focused on the supermarket's Gut und Gunstig range. For example, Das Pure Haferbrot (oat bread) has been reduced from €1.95 to €1.75, while Gut und Gunstig oat flakes now cost €0.69 instead of €0.79.

Bild reports that Netto, Rewe and Penny have implemented price cuts on a similar scale from Tuesday. 

Why are supermarkets suddenly dropping their prices?

A big reason for the sudden price cuts is that supermarkets themselves are also benefiting from lower costs at the moment.

Compared to a year earlier, energy products such as fuel and heating have sunk by around 2.8 percent on average.

After Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine back in February 2022, prices soared on the global energy markets, producing a knock-on effect on other products as businesses struggled to offset higher heating and logistics costs.

This year, with energy prices continuing to sink dramatically, companies are seeing their overheads finally go down.

In the case of German supermarkets, some of these savings are finally being passed on to consumers.