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LIVING IN GERMANY

IN NUMBERS: How life in Germany has changed over the past 10 years

A lot has changed in Germany in the past six months, let alone the past 10 years. We take a look in figures at the difference a decade has made.

Published: 3 September 2020 16:38 CEST
IN NUMBERS: How life in Germany has changed over the past 10 years

At the moment, the corona crisis determines almost everything. Looking back to 10 years ago almost feels like travelling to another world. 

When it comes to everyday life in Germany, some figures show a rapid change – for instance in drinking, eating and smoking habits and in media consumption. 

Here are the biggest change that the past decade has brought.

READ ALSO: From beer to babies: The 15 stats you need to describe the Germans

Mobile phones: Currently, 76 percent of German citizens above the age of 16 use a mobile phone with access to the internet. That corresponds to 53 million people, according to the IT industry association Bitkom.

In 2015, the figures stood at 65 percent and in 2012 only 36 percent. The triumph of smartphones, however, only began in 2007 with the introduction of the Apple iPhone. 

Beer: Ten years ago, the per capita consumption of beer was around 107 litres, according to the German Brewers Association. In 2019, Germany is only said to have drunk around 102 litres.

And 1976 is said to have been a record year in West Germany with a per capita consumption of 151 litres. The market share of non-alcoholic beer rose from around three percent ten years ago to seven percent in 2020.

Varieties of alcohol-free beers. Photo: DPA

Drinks: In 2019, Germany consumed almost 124 litres of non-alcoholic soft drinks per capita, according to the German Association of Non-Alcoholic Drinks (wafg) in Berlin.

Within the category, the shift towards reduced-calorie and calorie-free drinks such as Diet Coke continued. In 2010, 118 litres of drinks such as cola and lemonades, fruit juice drinks and spritzers, sodas, tea and energy drinks were consumed.

READ ALSO: The 20 key stats that help explain Germany today

Meat: Around eight million people in Germany are vegetarian and around 1.3 million are vegan, according to the ProVeg interest group. According to estimates, there are around 200 new vegetarians and 200 new vegans every day. In 2011, the then still called Vegetarian Union (VEBU) estimated there to be six million vegetarians and around 60,000 vegans.

Media: The daily consumption of moving images by people aged 14 and over was 5 hours and 10 minutes in 2019, according to the VAUNET media usage analysis.

According to the Arbeitsgemeinschaft (AGF) Video Research, the daily television viewing time in 2019 was 211 minutes, whereas in 2010 it was 223 minutes.

Depending on the age, time spent in front of the television in 2019 was very different: adults over 50 watched more than five hours per day, whilst those between the ages of 14-29 watched less than an hour and a half. The corona crisis inspired a comeback of real-time television.

Lockdown saw more Germans reaching for the remote. Photo: DPA

Smoking: According to various studies to which, among other things, the current addiction report by the federal government refers, the proportion of young people up to the age of 15 who smoke has fallen by two thirds in the past ten years.

READ ALSO: Opinion: Why Germany needs to take the smoking ban more seriously

In adults, the proportion of smokers has fallen from around 40 to around 25 percent of men, and from around 30 to 20 percent of women since 2003. A comparison of federal states still shows that more people smoke in the north and in large cities.

Translation by Stephanie Nourse

 

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LIVING IN GERMANY

Living in Germany: Battles over Bürgergeld, rolling the ‘die’ and carnival lingo

From the push to reform long-term unemployment benefits to the lingo you need to know as Carnival season kicks off, we look at the highlights of life in Germany.

Published: 14 November 2022 09:54 CET
Living in Germany: Battles over Bürgergeld, rolling the 'die' and carnival lingo

Deadlock looms as debates over Bürgergeld heat up 

Following a vote in the Bundestag on Thursday, the government’s planned reforms to long-term unemployment benefits are one step closer to becoming reality. Replacing the controversial Hartz IV system, Bürgergeld (or Citizens’ Allowance) is intended to be a fair bit easier on claimants.

Not only will the monthly payment be raised from €449 to €502, but jobseekers will also be given a grace period of two years before checks are carried out on the size of their apartment or savings of up to €60,000. The system will also move away from sanctions with a so-called “trust period” of six months, during which benefits won’t be docked at all – except in very extreme circumstances. 

Speaking in parliament, Labour Minister Hubertus Heil (SPD) said the spirit of the new system was “solidarity, trust and encouragement” and praised the fact that Bürgergeld would help people get back into the job market with funding for training and education. But not everyone is happy about the changes. In particular, politicians from the opposition CDU/CSU parties have responded with outrage at the move away from sanctions.

CDU leader Friedrich Merz has even branded the system a step towards “unconditional Basic Income” and argued that nobody will be incentivised to return to work. 

The CDU and CSU are now threatening to block the Bürgergeld legislation when it’s put to a vote in the Bundesrat on Monday. With the conservatives controlling most of the federal states – and thus most of the seats in the upper house – things could get interesting. Be sure to keep an eye out for our coverage in the coming weeks to see how the saga unfolds. 

Tweet of the week

When you first start learning German, picking the right article to use can truly be a roll of the “die” – so we’re entirely on board with this slightly unconventional way to decide whether you’re in a “der”, “die”, or “das” situation. (Warning: this may not improve your German.) 

Where is this?

Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Boris Roessler

Residents of Frankfurt am Main and the surrounding area will no doubt recognise this as the charming town of Kronberg, which is nestled at the foot of the Taunus mountains.

This atmospheric scene was snapped on Friday morning, when a drop in temperatures saw Kronberg and surrounding forests shrouded in autumnal fog.

After a decidedly warm start to November, the mercury is expected to drop into single digits over the weekend. 

Did you know?

November 11th marked the start of carnival season in Germany. But did you know that there’s a whole set of lingo to go along with the tradition? And it all depends on where you are. First of all, the celebration isn’t called the same thing everywhere. In the Rhineland, it’s usually called Karneval, while people in Bavaria or Saxony tend to call it Fasching. Those in Hesse and Saarland usually call it Fastnacht. 

And depending on where you are, there are different things to shout. The ‘fools call’ you’ll hear in Cologne is “Alaaf!” If you move away from Cologne, you’ll hear “Helau!” This is the traditional cry in the carnival strongholds of Düsseldorf and Mainz, as well as in some other German cities.

In the Swabian-Alemannic language region in the southwest of the country, people yell “Narri-Narro”, which means “I’m a fool, you’re a fool”. In Saarland at the French border, they shout “Alleh hopp!”, which is said to originate from the French language. 

Lastly, if someone offers you a Fastnachtskrapfe, say yes because it’s a jelly-filled carnival donut. And if you’re offered a Bützchen? It’s your call, but know that it’s a little kiss given to strangers!

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