NIQ Retail Spend Barometer
Germany
Private spending in Germany: Slight increase in the third quarter
- Private spending in Germany on fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and technical durables (Tech & Durables) has increased slightly once again: Both sectors recorded sales growth of 2.7% in the third quarter of 2024.
- While the FMCG market saw particularly strong growth, the overall market for technical durables continues its downward trend.
Positive Trends in the FMCG Sector: Key Growth Drivers
All FMCG categories showed positive development. Spending on categories like ambient food (4.6%) and frozen food (3.1%) increased above average.
Tobacco products remained among the top growth drivers, with a 4.1% increase in absolute sales. Beverages (particularly water, cola, and sports drinks) grew by 4.5%. While this category also saw volume growth, the increase in tobacco sales was purely driven by higher prices.
Tech & Durables: Mixed Performance Across Categories
The Tech & Durables market saw a slight decline, with sales down 1.3% compared to the third quarter of 2023. This downward trend particularly affected the technical consumer goods category, which recorded a 4.8% drop. Key product segments such as mobile computing, desktop computing, and media tablets showed negative development.
The primary reason: PCs, monitors, and other computer accessories were heavily purchased during the COVID-19 pandemic and do not yet need replacement.
“We expect that Christmas shopping will further boost sales in both the FMCG and Tech & Durables sectors. While many consumers held back during the year, they now look forward to good deals. In the technical consumer goods segment, the focus is particularly on multifunctional products that offer real added value.
For retailers, the Retail Spend Barometer indicates that promotions make a difference. Attractive discount campaigns are essential to gain additional market share and increase sales.”
Oliver Schmitz, Head of Retail DACH at NIQ and GfK