Bemme, slices, sandwiches – the main thing is bread. But what kind should it be? And is the most popular variety also the one that is consumed most often?
On average, every German bought an average of 61.11 kilograms of bread in 2023. Which variety did customers prefer? And do most people buy the bread they prefer? A survey comes to a clear result.
Good to know
There are an estimated 3,000 different bread specialties in Germany. However, the survey only asked about the main categories.
Favorite bread of the Germans
The most popular bread among Germans is whole grain bread. One in four (25 percent) prefer to eat it. Mixed bread comes in second place (17 percent), closely followed by multigrain bread (16 percent) and rye bread (16 percent). Wheat bread and toast bread come in last place and are therefore the least popular among Germans.
It is noticeable that there are regional differences: people in West Germany prefer to eat whole grain bread, whereas in East Germany people prefer to eat mixed bread. In northern Germany, brown bread is popular and ranks in the upper middle range.
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Good to know
Mixed breads are breads whose base consists of a mixture of wheat and rye flour.
In addition, the survey shows that bread preference also depends on age. 18 to 29 year olds prefer to eat toast. The 65plus generation tends to enjoy rye bread.
Which bread do Germans eat the most?
But do most people eat the bread specialty they prefer? The sales figures do not confirm this. According to the German Bread Institute, mixed breads are most commonly consumed (32.8 percent), followed by toast bread (20.3 percent) and breads with grains and seeds (15.2 percent). But whole grain breads are also popular with one in ten (10.5 percent). Pure wheat breads and rye breads end up in the lower ranks with 5.2 percent each.
Where does the discrepancy come from?
On the one hand, consumers do not always buy the products that they like best, but rather what is most practical and cheapest, for example. “Toast bread is very popular: it is relatively cheap, meets general tastes, is available in all supermarkets and is particularly popular with children. It is often bought by householders because it also has a long shelf life and is quick fills you up,” explains Friedemann Berg, managing director of the Central Association of the German Bakery Trade
On the other hand, the price can also play a role. The prices for mixed bread and toast bread in the supermarket are almost the same (toast: an average of 3.80 euros/kilogram; mixed bread: an average of 4.00 euros/kilogram). But bought from the bakery, there can be a price difference of up to 2 euros.
About the methodology
The market and opinion research company Civey surveyed around 5,000 German citizens aged 18 and over online for t-online from March 20th to 22nd, 2024. The results are representative due to quotas and weighting, taking into account the statistical error of 2.5 percentage points (overall result).
