April 16, 2026, 9:23 am | Read time: 2 minutes
Price promises are meant to provide guidance. But when advertising and reality don’t match, it becomes tricky. Edeka is now facing criticism for its statements in brochures.
The Consumer Center of Lower Saxony is taking action against Edeka Handelsgesellschaft Minden-Hannover. The reason is brochures that allegedly promised customers particularly low prices. According to the consumer advocates, a review revealed that the advertised claims did not hold up when compared to discounters. This puts the price advertising of the Hanover branch under scrutiny.
Discounter Price Promises in Focus
At the center of attention, according to the official press release from the Consumer Center, is a brochure with the slogan “Even cheaper than at the discounter.” The consumer advocates claim they compared relevant offers from the period in question and found no price advantage. From their perspective, the advertising claim is objectively false. Therefore, the Consumer Center has issued a warning to Edeka, demanding that they refrain from such misleading price comparisons in the future.
Another Slogan Under Criticism
In addition to this example, the Consumer Center criticizes another advertising claim. Another Edeka brochure advertised with the phrase “Every week as cheap as at the discounter.” However, according to the Consumer Center, the comparison with corresponding offers showed that some of the advertised groceries cost less at the discounter. Since many consumers base their purchasing decisions on brochures, the Consumer Center views this advertising as deliberate deception.
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Unclear Discount Information from Edeka
The Consumer Center also views savings hints without a clear reference point critically. As an example, they cite an advertisement where Edeka promised a savings of 0.30 euros. However, it remained unclear what this amount specifically referred to. It was uncertain whether competitor prices, a previous Edeka price, or the manufacturer’s suggested retail price was meant. According to the consumer advocates, such a statement is ambiguous and therefore misleading.
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Further Steps Are Not Excluded
According to the Consumer Center, this approach constitutes a violation of competition law. If Edeka Handelsgesellschaft Minden-Hannover mbh does not sign the cease-and-desist declaration, the consumer advocates plan to consider further legal steps. There has been no public statement from Edeka regarding the allegations so far.