Browse Data and Analysis

Germany is a member of the European Union (EU) and generally follows EU directives and regulations, including those relating to the importation of food products. This report provides an overview of food laws in force in Germany that cover areas, which are not yet harmonized in the EU.

This report provides Germany specific information that complements the EU-27 FAIRS Export Certificate Annual Report, which covers the harmonized EU certificate requirements.

Online grocery retail, although off to a somewhat slow start in Germany, offers promising opportunities for food producers and marketers.

Germany’s private label grocery market topped $123 billion in 2018 - 45 percent of total grocery sales in Germany.

With nearly 83 million of the world’s wealthiest consumers, Germany is the largest market for food and agricultural products in the European Union.

Germany has presented a plan to phase out glyphosate and terminate its use in Germany by December 31, 2023, as part of an “action program for the protection of insects.”

On September 5, 2019, the German Government introduced a voluntary animal welfare label for pork products.

Although Germany does not require labeling of non-GMO food products and animal feed, the nation’s voluntary “Ohne Gentechnik” (GMO-free) labeling program is gaining momentum.