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Germany: Two discounters Crowned Germany’s Favorite Brands for 2026

Discount Retail Chain Aldi Nord and Lidl Crowned Germany’s Favorite Brands for 2026.

Navigating everyday consumer choices — from grabbing dinner ingredients to choosing a bank or furnishing a home — can be overwhelming due to a saturated market. To help consumers find their bearings, the Cologne-based consulting firm ServiceValue conducted its annual comprehensive study to identify the brands Germans trust and prefer the most.

The massive survey analyzed over 292,000 customer reviews spanning nearly 2,200 companies across 118 different industries.


The Top Contenders: A New Direct Lineup

This year, the discount retail giants Aldi Nord and Lidl tied for the absolute top spot, achieving a peak average score of 2.26.


While the food retail sector dominated the top ten last year with six spots, the 2026 rankings saw a shift toward greater industry diversity:

  • Aldi Süd, last year’s reigning champion, slipped to 4th place with a score of 2.28.

  • Newcomers to the top ten include major players from other sectors, such as insurers Debeka and Ergo, direct bank ING, and the gym franchise FitX.


The Scale of Success: Aldi Nord & Lidl by the Numbers

The ranking's top winners also happen to be some of the largest heavyweights in the European retail market, both showing immense financial growth.

Company

Key Financials & Data

Market Impact

Aldi Nord

• €31+ billion in group revenue (+7.4% growth)


• 5,500+ stores across Europe


• 90,000+ employees (40,000 in Germany)

Outpaced the overall German food retail sector's average growth of 3.4% set in 2025.

Lidl

• ~€132 billion in revenue (2024 fiscal year)

Generated the lion's share of the parent company Schwarz Group's €175.4 billion total sales.

The Amazon Paradox: Record Revenue, Plummeting Loyalty

If this year’s ranking proves anything, it's that massive financial success does not automatically guarantee customer affection.


Amazon recently made history by bringing in roughly US$717 billion for the 2025 fiscal year, officially dethroning Walmart as the world’s highest-grossing company. Yet, despite its financial dominance, the e-commerce giant experienced a massive downfall in customer satisfaction.


From 3rd to 237th Place: Amazon plummeted in the ServiceValue ranking this year, dropping down to a mediocre average score of 2.43.


The Catalyst: Prime Video Legal Troubles

This dramatic drop in consumer favor is largely tied to a wave of backlash regarding Prime Video. Amazon introduced advertisements to its streaming service, requiring users to pay an additional fee on top of their existing subscription to enjoy an ad-free experience.

This move triggered a massive consumer revolt in Germany:

  • 220,000 German consumers have joined a class-action lawsuit spearheaded by the consumer advice center.

  • The Core Legal Dispute: The lawsuit questions whether Amazon has the legal right to demand extra fees for a service originally advertised and sold as ad-free.

  • What's Next: A critical court decision on the matter is expected to be handed down on July 17.




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