Slaughter and meat processing were the most profitable segments in the German nutrition industry in 2022, generating around 50 billion euros in revenue. Other
included milk processing, as well as production of baked goods and pasta products. The nutrition market is a dynamic and varied one, though facing the same challenges as many other consumer-oriented sectors today: production and delivery difficulties,
for various reasons (whether in retail or production), agricultural issues, and changing
Changing consumption levels
The consumption of food products among the German population has
changed significantly for some categories during the passage of time. In fact, when comparing figures from 1900 and 2022, the changes especially are visible. While per capita consumption levels for milk, butter, and cheese have increased, the difference was not as enormous as might sometimes be the case during such a time span. Meanwhile,
potato consumption per person amounted to around 271 kilograms in 1900 and roughly 56 kilograms in 2022. A noticeable increase was recorded for eggs. As of 2024, Germans displayed varying
frequency of cooking at home. 45 percent of respondents did so daily, while 37 percent did so two to three times a week.
Substitutes and alternatives
The nutrition market offers options for consumers looking for alternatives to traditional food consumption, whether for health reasons or simply because of lifestyle choices. Around 2.14 million people
bought gluten-free products in Germany in 2023, with numbers increasing annually in previous years. That same year, around 3.36 million people
bought lactose-free products, with figures not changing significantly compared to earlier. Regarding products of animal origin, some consumers also choose
substitutes and alternatives for ethical reasons.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no
liability for the information given being complete or correct.
Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date
data than referenced in the text.
