Overview
- Kofa, which published its analysis Wednesday, reported 4,665 unfilled meat‑counter jobs in 2025, up about 40% from 2024 and the most on record.
- The gap stems from retirements and weak recruitment, with 38% of staff over 55 in 2024 and employment down about 19% since 2017.
- Shoppers now meet shorter staffed hours and fewer choices as retailers with thousands of counters at Rewe and Edeka cut schedules, lift pay, and shift more meat to self‑serve.
- Employers widen hiring by bringing in more foreign trainees, with over 1,000 of roughly 2,350 apprentices in 2024 from abroad, as some stores recruit in India or test order kiosks and unmanned formats.
- Germany’s total unfilled skilled jobs fell to about 369,000 as hiring slowed, yet Kofa warns shortages in trades like building electrics and eldercare could worsen once growth returns.