DON’T MISS
IamExpat FairIamExpat Job BoardIamExpat Webinars
Newsletters
EXPAT INFO
CAREER
HOUSING
EDUCATION
LIFESTYLE
EXPAT SERVICES
NEWS & ARTICLES
Home
Expat Info
German news & articles
Lidl, REWE, Penny and Edeka accused of selling “fake” honey in Germany
Never miss a thing!Sign up for our weekly newsletters with important news stories, expat events and special offers.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy

Lidl, REWE, Penny and Edeka accused of selling “fake” honey in Germany

Never miss a thing!Sign up for our weekly newsletters with important news stories, expat events and special offers.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy
or
follow us for regular updates:



Related Stories

6 best German Christmas markets to eat your way through in 20226 best German Christmas markets to eat your way through in 2022
Toilet paper to truffles: The ultimate guide to German supermarketsToilet paper to truffles: The ultimate guide to German supermarkets
6 best vegan restaurants in Berlin6 best vegan restaurants in Berlin
Food banks in GermanyFood banks in Germany
Winter in Germany: 5 best things to do and places to visitWinter in Germany: 5 best things to do and places to visit
Berlin newbies: 7 free and cheap things to do on every day of the weekBerlin newbies: 7 free and cheap things to do on every day of the week
Bundestag proposal calls for 4,90 euro Döner price capBundestag proposal calls for 4,90 euro Döner price cap
50 cents a scoop: Aldi ice cream stands to tour Germany this July50 cents a scoop: Aldi ice cream stands to tour Germany this July
For expats of all colours, shapes and sizes

Explore
Expat infoCareerHousingEducationLifestyleExpat servicesNews & articles
About us
IamExpat MediaAdvertisePost a jobContact usImpressumSitemapRSS feeds
More IamExpat
IamExpat Job BoardIamExpat HousingIamExpat FairWebinarsNewsletters
Privacy
Terms of usePrivacy policyCookiesAvoiding scams

Never miss a thing!Sign up for expat events, news & offers, delivered once a week.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy


© 2025 IamExpat Media B.V.
© 2025 IamExpat Media B.V.
Dec 24, 2024
Olivia Logan

Editor at IamExpat Media

Editor for Germany at IamExpat Media. Olivia first came to Germany in 2013 to work as an Au Pair. Since studying English Literature and German in Scotland, Freiburg and Berlin she has worked as a features journalist and news editor.Read more

An investigation by public broadcaster ZDF has claimed that several German supermarkets are selling brands of “fake” honey to customers.

ZDF accuses German supermarkets of selling “fake” honey

The German public broadcasting network ZDF analysed different honey brands sold in six German supermarkets and claimed that many of the tested products were “inauthentic”. 

According to Germany’s Honey Ordinance Law of 2004, beekeepers and companies selling honey must clearly label honey products which contain a mixture of kinds of honey or have had other ingredients, like sugar water, added to them.

After testing the DNA profiles of seven honey brands at specialised labs in Estonia and Austria, the broadcaster concluded that none were “entirely authentic”. While the test method used is yet to be accredited, experts consider it the first test which can effectively detect “counterfeits”, since all previous test methods did not analyse DNA in honey samples. 

Goldland Blütenhonig (Aldi), Maribel flüssiger Bienenhonig (Lidl), Blütenhonig (Penny), Ja! Blütenhonig (Rewe), Gut & Günstig Blütenhonig (Edeka), Vom Land Blütenhonig (Netto) and Die Flotte Biene (Langnese) were all considered to use a mix of honey or contain added ingredients.

German supermarkets reject “inauthentic honey” claims

“Together with our suppliers, we continuously focus on the authenticity of our honey and have established a wide range of quality assurance measures to guarantee the purity of the blossom honey,” a spokesperson from REWE, which also runs Penny, told ZDF in response.

Writing to ZDF, a representative of Edeka, which owns the discounter supermarket chain Netto, claimed that additional “recognised authenticity tests” were carried out on the food and “no deviations have been detected that would indicate possible adulteration”. 

Lidl joined the chorus of feedback, with a spokesperson saying the results were “incomprehensible”. Meanwhile, Professor Florian Leese, a biologist and DNA analysis specialist, said that the lab results were “particularly convincing” and could be trusted.

Thumb image credit: Wirestock Creators / Shutterstock.com

By Olivia Logan