Delicatessen items, mustard, soups: What Germany's shopping basket reveals
Kulinaria Pleasure Study 2026
mustard is not a niche product, but a staple on German dining tables: 76 percent of Germans buy it regularly. According to the new Kulinaria Enjoyment Study 2026, this puts mustard ahead of vinegar (61 percent), gourmet sauces (58 percent), broths (52 percent), soups (46 percent), and baking mixes (39 percent). This is shown by a representative online survey conducted by Ipsos on behalf of Kulinaria Deutschland e.V. with 1,000 respondents.
Classic mustard remains particularly popular: 33 percent of mustard buyers reach for medium-hot mustard first when presented with a selection of different mustard varieties. At the same time, they are open to new flavors: 33 percent would like to try honey mustard, 30 percent sweet mustard, and 29 percent herb mustard.
Consumer preferences: fewer additives, natural ingredients
When it comes to deli salads, potato salad (48 percent), coleslaw (38 percent), and pasta salad (34 percent) dominate. At the same time, shoppers primarily want fewer additives, less sugar, and less fat.
Traditional German eating habits are also evident in deli sauces: 42 percent of deli sauce buyers prefer tomato ketchup, 37 percent mayonnaise, and 29 percent garlic sauce. Here, too, requests for improvement focus primarily on less sugar and more natural ingredients.
Convenience products are also relevant. Ready-made meals and packet soups are purchased primarily for their time-saving qualities and ease of preparation.
"Our study paints a clear picture: Germans love their classics. Mustard belongs in every household. Ketchup is a must-have for barbecues. At the same time, curiosity is growing. New mustard varieties, exotic sauce specialties, fresh salad ideas: Those who do classics well while daring to innovate strike a chord with the times," explains Dr. Markus Weck, CEO of Kulinaria Deutschland e.V.
For the Kulinaria Enjoyment Study 2026, Ipsos surveyed a total of 1,000 people aged 16 and older in Germany online in January 2026, with a representative sample based on age, gender, region, and education.
Note: This article has been translated using a computer system without human intervention. LUMITOS offers these automatic translations to present a wider range of current news. Since this article has been translated with automatic translation, it is possible that it contains errors in vocabulary, syntax or grammar. The original article in German can be found here.
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