German family-owned businesses still male and conservative

Volker Wieland, managing director at Institute for Monetary and Financial Stability, discusses the reasons why Germany's economy unexpectedly shrank in the third quarter.

The grocery chain has said that sausages being sold at stores near Hanover may contain the bacteria Listeria. Aldi has also recently come under fire for its business practices regarding produce from South America.

The German economy has surprised experts by growing slightly in the third quarter. The narrow escape was largely due to consumer spending.

The billionaire is visiting Germany to explore a potential coronavirus vaccine made by CureVac. The biotechnology firm, which Germany has a direct stake in, is in the advanced stages of developing a vaccine candidate.

Figures show the German economy contracted dramatically last year, after tough restrictions to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the drop was smaller than expected.

Europe's biggest economy contracted by 1.8% in the first three months of this year compared with the previous quarter. The coronavirus pandemic has been a major factor slowing growth.

It looks like good news for Germany's economy, but some experts are cautioning against too much optimism. German breweries are also struggling to share the excitement.