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GERMANY EXPLAINED

How Germany’s population is changing during the pandemic

Immigration is causing the population in Germany to grow slightly again after stagnating during the pandemic. Here's what we learned from the latest report on population changes.

Published: 20 June 2022 12:23 CEST
How Germany's population is changing during the pandemic
People walking in Berlin in the sunshine. Berlin has seen an increase in population. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Jörg Carstensen

How is immigration influencing population changes in the pandemic?

At the end of 2021, around 83.2 million people lived in Germany – that’s 0.1 percent or 82,000 more than at the end of the previous year.

The development was mainly due to an increase in net immigration, said the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis). Around 317,000 more people came to Germany than left in 2021.

Initially, the statistics office predicted that the German population would see a stronger stagnation in 2021.

It comes after net immigration decreased significantly in the first pandemic year. Since reunification, the number of people living in Germany has mostly grown. However, in 2020, Germany’s population stayed the same for the first time since 2011.

Destatis said that the the number of people immigrating from abroad to Germany was down by 24 percent in 2020, while the number of people emigrating from Germany was down 22 percent year on year.

They said changes in migration patterns were particularly significant among young adults aged 18 to 22.

It means that the number of immigrants who came to Germany in 2021 was almost at pre-pandemic levels. At the end of 2019, net immigration stood at 327,000 people.

At the same time, the excess of deaths over births in Germany continued to rise in 2021 to 228,000 (2020: 212,000).

Germany’s population figures are calculated using data on registered births and deaths as well as from the arrivals and departures reported to the statistical offices by authorities. 

Experts say the stats can change as more information becomes available. 

What else do we know about the German population?

At the end of 2021, 72.3 million people with German citizenship, and 10.9 million people with foreign citizenship lived in Germany.

The proportion of foreigners in the total population increased from 12.7 to 13.1 percent compared to the previous year.

As in the previous year, the number of older people continued to rise in 2021. The group aged 60 and over saw an increase of 341,000 people to 24.4 million (+1.4  percent). And the very elderly aged 80 and over rose sharply to 6.1 million (+175 000 or +3.0  percent) people.

The number of senior citizens between 60 and 79-years-old was 18.3 million at the end of 2021 (+166 000 persons or +0.9  percent). At the same time, the number of people aged 20 to 59 fell to 43.4 million (-358 000 persons or -0.8  percent). In contrast, the number of children and young people under 20 increased by 99,000 or 0.6  percent to 15.4 million.

The average age of the German population increased slightly by 0.1 years to 44.7 years.

What’s the situation in different parts of Germany?

Population development in 2021 varied from region to region: in absolute terms, the population in Bavaria increased the most with an increase of about 37,000 people, followed by Lower Saxony (+24,000) and Baden-Württemberg (+22,000).

In percentage terms, Schleswig-Holstein and Berlin (+0.4  percent each) had the highest increases in population. There were also population losses in Bremen, Thuringia, Saxony-Anhalt, Saxony, Saarland and North Rhine-Westphalia.

The below table shows the population changes in German regions.

Screenshot: Federal Statistical Office

Chart: Federal Statistical Office

Overall, the western German states (excluding Berlin) recorded a population increase of 98,000 people to 67.1 million. Although this increase was significantly higher than in 2020 (+24,000), it was still below the level before the outbreak of the Covid pandemic in 2019 (+144,000).

In eastern Germany (excluding Berlin), the population continued to decline (by 30,000), and stood at 12.5 million at the end of the year.

Vocabulary

Immigration – (die) Zuwanderung

Population – (die) Bevölkerung

Increased/grown – gewachsen

Previous year – (der) Vorjahr

We’re aiming to help our readers improve their German by translating vocabulary from some of our news stories. Did you find this article useful? Let us know.

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FOOD AND DRINK

‘People are eating less meat’: How Germany is embracing vegan food

Germany's second-largest supermarket chain has just opened its first vegan store in Berlin. Could the country see more vegan stores in future as more consumers buy in to plant-based foods?

Published: 19 April 2024 13:15 CEST
'People are eating less meat': How Germany is embracing vegan food

German grocer REWE opened its first vegan store on Warshauer Bridge in Berlin’s Friedrichshain neighbourhood last week.

‘REWE voll pflanzlich’ (wholly plant-based) is a relatively small store, but it offers more than 2,700 vegan products, according to information provided by the company. Unlike the REWE’s roughly 3,800 other locations, no meat, dairy or other animal products will be sold there.

In comparison, a regular REWE location often carries up to 1,400 vegan items – a selection that has grown in recent years. Milk alternatives and fresh convenience products in particular have proven to be popular items. 

REWE Group has previously seen success with plant-based franchises. Its Austrian subsidiary Billa, launched Billa ‘Pflanzilla‘ in September 2022.

At Warschauer Straße 33, the first ‘REWE voll pflanzlich’ is planted in established vegan territory. The location was previously home to a Veganz store, which had been Europe’s first vegan supermarket chain. Veganz sold its retail business in 2023, saying it planned to focus on product development.

How is the neighbourhood reacting?

Berlin resident, Leona, stopped by the store with her friend on their way to the East Side Gallery.

“I think it’s great,” she told The Local. “Here I can find things that they don’t carry at a normal REWE store.”

She added that the location in Friedrichshain makes sense, because the neighbourhood is home to a lot of vegan restaurants and veggie-friendly residents.

Lilla Fufavi, founder of Berlin Fashion Tours, stopped by the store while leading a street tour focused on sustainable commerce.

Bringing a tour group to REWE was perhaps a bold move, as it was Fufavi’s first time visiting the store herself, but she told The Local that her guests enjoyed the quick stop. 

“They loved the idea that you just go in, and without any effort you can be vegan. There is no other option,” Fufavi said.

She added that, as one of the biggest players in the industry, the fact that REWE is promoting more plant-based options shows how the industry is taking steps toward sustainability. 

READ ALSO: EXPLAINED – Why and how to start a zero-waste lifestyle in Germany

interior REWE voll pflazlich

The new REWE location is relatively small but offers 2,700 vegan foods and products. Photo provided by REWE / pivopix Christoph Grosse

Is Germany ready to leave Die Wurst behind?

Traditional German faire is known for its focus on Fleisch, like sausages,  meaty stews or pork shoulder. While local favourites like Thüringer Bratwurst certainly wont be going anywhere anytime soon, meat consumption per capita in the Bundesrepublik has been falling in recent years. 

According to preliminary data from Germany’s Information Centre for Agriculture (BZL), the per capita consumption of meat fell by 430 grams in 2023, to 51.6 kilograms – the lowest value recorded since the beginning of the survey. 

The same cannot be said of the US, where meat consumption continues to grow. In the UK, meat consumption is falling, but not nearly as dramatically as in Germany.

Interestingly, Germany’s previous fixation on meat has arguably positioned the country to be more willing to embrace plant-based options going forward. 

Many younger Germans have seen their elder relatives suffer diet-related illnesses, such as heart disease or cancer. Meanwhile research confirming the positive effects of more plant-based diets has gotten more attention.

The German society for nutrition (DGE) recommends a diet that consists of three-quarters plant-based foods. 

“Roughly speaking, people eat too much meat and drink too much alcohol, too few whole grains, too few fruits and vegetables, and too few legumes and nuts,” Astrid Donalie, press speaker for the DGE told The Local.

READ ALSO: Deutsche Bahn ‘goes green’ with vegan menu and porcelain coffee cups

Vegan or vegetarian diets tend to be more common among Germany’s younger generations, which suggests that the country’s meat consumption per capita may continue to fall for some time.

Considering the trend, REWE’s first fully vegan store may prove to be an early sign of a looming market shift as Germany’s food manufacturers and retailers ramp up efforts to capitalise on growing demand for plant-based foods.

“When it comes to their diet, Germans pay more attention to their health, the impact on the environment or the welfare of animals,” said Minister of Food and Agriculture, Cem Özdemir, of the Greens. “Today, many people are eating less meat, but more consciously – and all the figures suggest that the trend will continue.”

He added that this presents opportunities to make Germany’s food supply chains more sustainable, humane and equitable: “We should take advantage of the new market opportunities. Keeping fewer animals better…At the same time, we are counting on farmers being able to make good money with plant-based alternatives in addition to animal products.”

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