Apparently the Germans have learnt nothing from their history. The fact that products are labelled because they either come from socially marginalised people, ‘Volksschädlinge’ or ‘ enemy states’ is reminiscent of the darkest chapters of the past – but in the posturing mania against Trump and Musk, when anti-Americanism is celebrated, nothing is spared. For example, an unusual practice has been noticeable in German supermarkets for some time now: Products from the USA are placed upside down on the shelves. This method is used to clearly label them and distinguish them from domestic goods. Obviously, the aim is to give a negative recommendation to buy.
The retail chains themselves claim a different reason: this is due to the different labelling regulations. In the USA, nutritional information, ingredient lists and packaging standards are often less strict or formatted differently than in the EU. In Europe, for example, allergens must be highlighted and nutritional values per 100 grams must be stated, whereas in the USA the focus is often on the size of portions. These discrepancies can be confusing for consumers. Inverted products would therefore immediately signal to employees and customers: ‘This is an imported product that requires special attention.’
This may all be factually correct – but the different labelling regulations have always existed and the distinction has never been made in this visible form. This has only been the case since Trump, his rigorous trade policy with threats of punitive tariffs and, at the same time, the ubiquitous demonisation of his policies. The discounters’ explanations therefore appear to be a pretence. This also applies to another argument put forward by some of the retail chains: Alleged pitfalls of logistics. For example, imported products often undercut ‘longer supply chains’ and are ‘stored separately’. Turning products round therefore makes stocktaking easier and prevents confusion with local items. Supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl, which prioritise efficient processes, use this method particularly frequently.
In fact, these two discounters had already used this practice occasionally in the past – but it was abandoned following customer complaints in many shops about the untidy appearance and lack of legibility. The impression was also created that the goods were damaged or incorrectly sorted. The fact that the phenomenon has nevertheless increased everywhere since Trump took office shows that it must be about something else.
“The retail chains themselves claim a different reason: this is due to the different labelling regulations. In the USA, nutritional information, ingredient lists and packaging standards are often less strict or formatted differently than in the EU.”
Is that a joke? Because it certainly reads like one. Why? Because any product on the shelf of a grocery store in the European Union *must* comply with E.U. regulations concerning nutritional information, ingredient lists, and packaging standards to be legally sold in the European Union. And Germany is a member of the E.U. so their standards must adhere to E.U. labeling requirements. There is no way any product to be sold at retail in a grocery store would be allowed to have non-standard E.U. labeling. In fact, I doubt any food product imported into the E.U. that had non-E.U. approved labeling would be stopped at the border and not allowed into the E.U. So the excuse that the labeling requirements are different between the U.S. and Germany (ie. European Union) are just nonsense.