Even at first glance you can see that something is coming to an end here. An empty food dispenser is lined up next to the others. Except for dried banana chips, quinoa, some herbs and spices, there is almost nothing left to buy at “ZeroHero”. As soon as everything is gone, Arthur Koenig will give up his unpackaged shop in Nuremberg. “We can’t do it on our own anymore. It’s not financially possible,” he says.
Things went so well for a while that “ZeroHero” was able to open a second branch in nearby Erlangen in 2019. At that time, unpackaged shops opened in many places in Germany. But like Koenig’s shop, many are now in crisis. Germany’s first unpackaged store in Kiel had to close at the end of last year. “ZeroHero” in Erlangen is already closed. The Passau shop “Tante Emmer” is fighting for survival. Is the unpackaged concept over?
A look at the numbers
Around 270 open shops are currently registered with the Association of Unpackaged Shops in Germany. At the beginning of 2022 there were still almost 340. In view of rising food prices and reluctance to buy, the unpackaged industry is facing challenges just like many other specialist shops, according to the association.
The problems with Corona began with “ZeroHero”. “We never actually recovered from that,” says Koenig. Over time, people would have gotten used to going shopping quickly – or online. “Shopping in bulk stores naturally takes longer.” You have to think about what you need beforehand, bring the right containers, fill and weigh the food.
“Shopping is something that has to be done quickly”
From the point of view of the sustainability expert Petra Süptitz from the Nuremberg consumer research company GfK, this is one reason for the difficulties of the unpackaged shops. “We are all stressed and have a lot to do. Shopping is something that has to be done quickly.” In addition, many people are currently shopping very price-consciously, says Süptitz. Sustainable products are still important to them. “But you no longer buy them in specialist shops, but in discounters or as private labels.”
Marie Delaperrière, who had to close her unpackaged shop in Kiel because of the gradual decline in customers since Corona at the end of 2022, also sees psychological reasons: “People have the association that it’s a nice little shop that has to be expensive.”
Delaperrière does not consider this assessment to be justified. “My prices were the same as in the organic market or at the weekly market.” But she herself is experiencing a shift in the priorities of what people are spending their money on in the face of inflation: “Everything in the restaurants is always fully booked at the weekend.” Koenig sees it similarly. “The Germans are the first to save on groceries.” Leisure activities, travel or the car are more important to them.
“The hype is gone”
So far, Carola Böhm has been able to keep her unpackaged shop “Tante Emmer” in Passau afloat – also thanks to a fundraiser last year. “We were able to save ourselves over the months,” says the owner. “But now it’s difficult again.” When unpackaged shops opened everywhere before Corona, there was great interest in the new concept. But she found that it had slowed down considerably. “The hype is gone. There are no new walk-in customers.”
In addition, there is competition from large supermarkets, some of which have also set up unpackaged stations, she says. However, they can shop at completely different prices than a small shop and are usually easier to reach by car due to their location. A lot has also happened with the packaging, says Böhm. Many are sustainable or would at least advertise that way – and that’s enough for some people if they want to consume more environmentally consciously.
She herself now wants to change the concept of her shop – how exactly is she considering right now. “The pure unpackaged concept is no longer feasible here at our site,” she says.
So has the unpackaged idea failed? No, says GfK expert Süptitz. “The basic concept of the unpackaged stores hits the nerve of the times. It’s more a question of how to do it right and inspire your customers.” Despite everything, the association of unpackaged shops is also looking to the future with optimism: 115 new shops are currently being planned.
