Rossmann insiders take a look behind the scenes of the drugstore: What tricks are behind the product promises? And which day of the week is most worthwhile for shopping?
Burgwedel – Around 1.7 million customers shop at Rossmann every day, according to disclosed business figures. Along with dm and Müller, Rossmann is one of the most popular drugstores in Germany. Their customer promise: Particularly low prices. But can promotional prices always be trusted? And what about other product promises? Four Rossmann insiders take a look behind the scenes of the drugstore giant in a ZDF program.
Shower gel, diapers, travel hair dryer – ZDF broadcast dismantles three Rossmann products
They are former marketing managers, branch managers or trainees of Rossmann: masked and with a spoken voice, they pass through various Rossmann branches. They take a critical look at individual products:
- Shower gel pomegranate of the own brand Isana, 250 ml cost 1.29 euros: price-performance ratio is worse than comparable men's alternatives
- Travel hair dryer from the world of ideas, costs 7.99 euros: Product information such as origin and Co. are concealed in the product description
- Eco-friendly diapers from the own brand Babydream, 30 pieces cost 5.29 euros: Not as sustainable as the packaging suggests
- Hollywood Glow of the own brand Rival, 33 ml cost 3.79 euros: copied from a prominent role model and staged as a direct competitor
From price tricks to sustainability illusions to brand copies: In the following, you will find out what you should pay attention to when shopping at a drugstore.
Isana shower gel: This is how women are tricked by Rossmann
Pink suits women, blue for men. Men like it practical, women focus more on soothing details. Such pigeonholing is a thing of the past? No. At least not when it comes to retail marketing strategies. Rossmann's product range is based on the clichés, including the product composition of its own brand Isana. Shower gel offers differ greatly in their presentation - there are practical 3-in-1 products for men, while women are courted with fragrances.
ZDF tests Rossmann: Does the drugstore giant deliver what it promises? © imago images/Michael Gstettenbauer
The main customer base is female, an insider confirmed to ZDF. Accordingly, there are far more women's products - but the same quality is not always offered in the same price-performance ratio. An example: There are comparable special editions "For Him" for the pomegranate-scented shower gel for 1.29 euros - currently for 99 cents and the content even includes 50 milliliters more. According to the ZDF report, the prices for men's and women's products have generally been the same since a consumer protection initiative in 2019, but the sizes in particular are being tricked. For women, it is not uncommon for less content to be available for the same price.
Travel hair dryer: Rossmann's world of ideas conceals product origin
It's not just cosmetic products that can be found at Rossmann. Hair dryers, kettles, curling irons – the world of ideas offers everyday products at reasonable prices. The catch: Some product information cannot be found in the description text. Among other things, the country of origin is often searched in vain. The ZDF team lends a hand and takes apart a travel hair dryer. The imprint of a cable: Made in China. According to insider information, 75 percent of Ideenwelt products come from Asia. It is an attempt to deceive customers, according to one of the selected insiders. Customers could suspect that a German drugstore relies on regional products for its own brands.
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Babydream diapers: This is how Rossmann tricks the sustainability promise
From reusable packaging at McDonald's to the new deposit system at Rewe – the pressure to achieve sustainability has reached numerous companies, including Rossmann. According to the ZDF report, only 2.5 percent of Rossmann products advertise sustainability, but they are placed particularly visibly and packaged conspicuously. The fact that diapers from the company's own brand Babydream, of all things, are referred to as eco-diapers is considered absurd greenwashing, according to sustainability researcher Kai Nebel. It is in the nature of things that diapers are not environmentally friendly and recyclable. Parents usually want the best for their children and for the environment they are born into. It is therefore not surprising that many mothers choose eco-diapers packaged in brown-natural green. For Rossmann, it is therefore probably an efficient sales strategy.
Charlotte Tilbury, No Cosmetics and Co. – Beware of branded copies and test products
And corporate tricks don't stop at the beauty shelf either. Best sellers of well-known brands are quickly copied from Rossmann. The alternative products of the own brand surround the prominent role models. The highlighter from Rival, which is based on Charlotte Tilbury's best-selling Hollywood Flawless Filter for 49 euros, is just one of many examples. According to the ZDF report, the seemingly cheap and equivalent alternatives are deliberately placed next to the corresponding branded product. At the low price, there is often cheating: Much smaller versions are sold in large packaging.
Consumer tips: On Wednesdays, Rossmann shopping can be particularly worthwhile
But there is an effective way to save money: pay attention to green signs on the product shelves on Wednesdays. These promotions are a favorable sale of predecessor products and limited editions. Consumers can save up to 50 percent. On the contrary, Saturday as a shopping day is not advisable. What many Rossmann customers don't know is that project offers are only valid from Monday to Friday. Furthermore, it is important to note the following in the case of obvious bargains:
Placement in advertising does not automatically entail a discount.
Rossmann spokesman told ZDF
Red "promotional price" signs on drugstore shelves do not have to represent actual discounts. It is not at all unlikely that there will be a regular sign in white with the same price inscription underneath. Such labels encourage people to buy – everyone can tell you a thing or two about them. (Felina Wellner)
