Germans tend to buy their bread from bakeries, their meat from butchers and their fruit and veg from grocers and markets. Still, every neighbourhood has several supermarkets, but they’re generally not designed to be a pleasurable shopping experience. Supermarkets such as Aldi (which has expanded overseas in the last few years), Rewe (www.rewe-group.com), PennyMarkt (www.penny.de), Plus (www.plus.de/de) and Lidl (www.lidl.de) tend to stock home brands or brands exclusive to the store. Generally the goods are bought and sold in bulk and prices are low because little attention is paid to displays – most products are simply stacked on transport pallets. While you won’t find a huge range of goods, particularly when it comes to fresh fruit and veg, the prices are hard to beat and they’re the best place to grab essentials, such as toilet paper and cleaning goods. For the thirsty, supermarkets also tend to be the cheapest place to stock up on water, beer and cheap wine.