Germany is located in the central part the European Union with a population of 82 million people. It is the largest national economy in Europe, the third largest by nominal GDP (Gross Domestic Product) in the world and ranked fifth by GDP. 70% of the GDP is contributed by services,  29,1% by industrial activities and 0,9% by agriculture.

Having a small coastline in the North with ports on the North sea and Baltic Sea , the fishery sector has always taken a marginal place in the German economy. The people who are directly and indirectly employed in this segment represent a very small percentage fraction of the population. Traditionally the most common fish on the market are herring and mackerel,  but after the second world war the country has also become an important destination for canned tuna with Hamburg port as the core of the tuna trade.

Germany and Hamburg fulfill an important function in the trade with the Eastern European markets. Part of the canned tuna imported into Germany later finds its way to supermarkets and restaurants in Austria, Hungary, Poland, Russia and many other markets.

The German market is characterized by being extremely price orientated – with a strong preference for canned skipjack tuna in oil.

From January to June 2007 Germany imported 42.114 M/T of tuna products which was 3% less than in the same time 2006. This import consists out of canned tuna, fresh and frozen whole round tuna and frozen pre-cooked loins.

Canned tuna was the major product with 41.697 M/T or 4.695.608 cartons (48x185g) including both imports from outside and inside the EU over six months last year. The country got most canned tuna from outside Europe which was 3.477.815 units, or 74%. The majority of the supply came from Philippines which provided 1.354.842 cases. Philippines especially has a high share in the German catering tuna market ( cans of 1705 gram net )  – which is almost entirely an oil-packed oriented.

Also the country got a significant quantity of canned tuna from Thailand (659.684 cartons), Indonesia (324.662) and Ecuador (253.378), over the first half of 2007.

Germany bought 75% of its import of canned product from outside of the EU from Asian nations, for a total of 2.592.566 cartons which equaled 55% of the total canned tuna imports .

The supply from other EU member states was 1.217.793 cases through two quarters ofg2007 was 26% less than in the previous year. 1.121.396 units came from the Netherlands, France 82.207 and from Italy 80.518 cartons.

Canned tuna accounted  for 99% of the total amount of all tuna products combined  imported by Germany during the first half 2007, with Saupiquet being the major promoted brand. Private labels of supermarkets and also importers brands – which are usually not promoted with national campaigns take the majority share of the canned tuna market.

Looking on the other imported tuna product varieties  the quantities are relatively quite small. Fresh whole round tuna fish equaled 0,04% of the total tuna supply when frozen was 0,03% and the rest belonged to frozen pre-cooked loins for the processing industry.

Germans eat 0.75 kg of canned tuna per capita. The score is half of the average European tuna consumption which is 1.52 kg per person. The common usage of the item is sandwiches and salads when the most popular species is Skipjack in oil.  Most fish in Germany is consumed in canned form.

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