Product quality

We ensure quality

The ultimate goal of Quality Management is for our REWE Group private-label products to meet our customers’ high expectations for quality. We are committed to offering flawless, high-quality and safe private-label products in our stores. We therefore monitor our products throughout the entire value chain – from farm to table, from manufacturer to consumer.

All REWE Group sales lines fall under the scope of Quality Management. QM has a responsibility for both food and non-food items, such as DIY and household products. Note that we do not take on this task alone but work in tandem with our colleagues at the national subsidiaries headquartered in Austria (BMÖ = Billa Austria) and at the REWE Far East purchasing organisation headquartered in Hong Kong.

You can rely on us.

Product quality is of the utmost importance to us both nationally and internationally – we employ more than 300 employees to oversee it.

You can rely on us.

Product quality is of the utmost importance to us both nationally and internationally – we employ more than 300 employees to oversee it.

You can rely on us.

Product quality is of the utmost importance to us both nationally and internationally – we employ more than 300 employees to oversee it.

You can rely on us.

Product quality is of the utmost importance to us both nationally and internationally – we employ more than 300 employees to oversee it.

When it comes to quality, we think holistically: from prevention, suppliers, and logistics through to the end customer.

We have our finger on the pulse

It all starts with product selection. We support our purchasing department and product managers by observing the markets and providing recommendations. As part of this, we take into account legal requirements as well as information from consumer organisations and associations, where we also play an active role.

We continue to optimize established products; for example, by reducing sugar and salt content where possible. We regularly conduct taste tests for both new and existing recipes at our in-house tasting centres as well as test non-food products.

Only the best is good enough

Raw materials and basic ingredients are integral in the production of our products, which is why we only select those that meet the highest quality standards. This is true both for organic and conventional products. We use the recognised certifications to ensure this, such as Global GAP and QS GmbH.

We also adhere to the most stringent requirements in the area of crop protection, and go far beyond the legal requirements in line with the principle of ‘as much as necessary, as little as possible’.

Spoilt for choice

For the production of our own brands, we support our private-label purchasing colleagues in the selection of suppliers and, where necessary, in the qualification required to obtain recognised certificates. We take great care to comply with established standards such as IFS (International Featured Standard), and supplement these with our own exacting quality requirements, which form part of the contracts with our private-label suppliers. Naturally, our own production companies, Wilhelm Brandenburg and Glockenbrot bakery, are subject to the same requirements.

All suppliers undergo regular audits. If we detect non-conformities, we initiate corrective action immediately.

Our linchpin

In total, there are over ten thousand private label items from the REWE Group. These are items produced exclusively for REWE, PENNY, toom Baumarkt and cooperation partners of the REWE Group, which are sold under one of our own brand names, such as Ja !, Naturgut and Vivess. All these products are based on a detailed product description drawn up by the REWE Groups quality management, in which the quality requirements are recorded. In order to continuously ensure the quality of our products, they are not only tested regularly in our in-house tasting center or non-food test room, but also checked by independent laboratories on our behalf.

In good hands

Quality Management does not stop at the doors of our warehouses either. Our clearly defined quality controls ensure that our products are in good hands before they reach the stores and our customers. Particular attention is paid to our range of perishables, such as fruit, vegetables, and meat products. We employ a sophisticated incoming and outgoing goods system to guarantee the freshness that our customers expect.

So much in store

To ensure that all of our items are in the best condition when on display, our in-store employees take great care with shelf maintenance on the sales floor and temperature control. All employees receive regular training on all prescribed quality and hygiene measures. We document these measures in manuals, which serve as reference books for our in-store colleagues.

In addition, all our stores regularly conduct in-store audits, documenting in-store hygiene conditions in accordance with a defined checking scheme and implementing any improvements identified.

We welcome feedback

Our work doesn’t stop at the checkout, and we strive to continually improve. How? By listening carefully to what our customers say about our products. The accumulated insights from customer feedback, complaints, suggested improvements and test results are continually fed back into product development.

All of this ensures that we are able to achieve our goal of guaranteeing the best quality for our customers.

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Opinion | Nutritional labelling