Italy

Consumer foodservice saw healthy growth in 2023 in terms of value sales and number of transactions, and the performance was much better than expectations. High inflation and a sharp rise in the cost of living had been expected to limit demand, but…

Due to higher energy prices, rising inflation, and a sharp rise in the cost of living Italian consumers have been looking at minimising their expenditure in many ways. This more conservative approach to spending has had a negative impact on overall…

Tea is seeing a more sluggish performance than coffee, with retail volume sales remaining in negative figures and retail value barely managing to achieve a positive result. Foodservice volume, on the other hand, is seeing a healthier performance.…

Despite showing competition to concentrates, RTD tea is also facing competition from other soft drinks categories, notably energy drinks for example. Added to which, RTD tea has seen steep price increases, thus placing further downwards pressure on…

The performance of hot drinks in Italy in 2023 is being strongly affected by inflationary pressures. Within this context, volume sales are sluggish while value sales are supported by rising unit prices. In addition to inflationary pressures, coffee…

The enduring consumer preference for debit cards over credit cards continued throughout 2023, with the former accounting for the more than 10 times the value of the latter in terms of transactions. Such cards are easy to obtain in Italy, as well as…

Olive oil is an important part of the traditional Italian diet but the category has continued to see declining sales in retail volume terms in 2023, although elevated inflation and a sharp rise in prices has ensured the category has continued to see…

Consumer lending in Italy maintained positive, albeit modest growth in current value terms in 2023, as ongoing economic uncertainty led many Italians to retain a cautious attitude towards borrowing. Factors such as high inflation rates, increasing…

Italian consumers are increasingly including breakfast cereals in their diets. The growing interest in breakfast cereals is being underpinned by a number of factors, with the demand for convenient meal options in the context of hectic consumer…

Having spiked during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, retail volume sales of other dairy products stabilised towards the end of the review period. Retail volume sales of other dairy were exceptionally high in 2020 as consumers spent more time…

The price of cheese in Italy has risen considerably towards the end of the review period. Higher pricing has been affected by several factors. The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic crisis, its aftermath, and the outbreak of war in Ukraine have had…

Wound care is set to see moderate growth in current value and retail volume terms in 2023. Sales are benefiting from Italian consumers returning to their old pre-pandemic lifestyles with there being a growing desire to spend time outside pursuing…

Apparel and footwear is projected to record strong retail current value growth over 2023, albeit slower than in 2021 and 2022, when sales rebounded from a lower base following the slump caused by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Nonetheless, most…

The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on consumer purchasing behaviour when it came to hot drinks. Indeed, trends such as the increased focus on preventive health, which developed in 2020, remained quite relevant in 2022, with this being…

Laundry care is one of the largest (in terms of volume) and fastest-growing categories within home care in Italy, with sustainability a key trend in this product area in 2022, as Italian consumers continued to move towards “green” products that used…

Sales of large cooking appliances took off during 2021 with the increased time being spent at home encouraging consumers to invest in home improvements. Unable or unwilling to visit foodservice outlets or go on holiday some consumers took the…

During the height of the pandemic, consumers were seen to be stuffing their homes with a wide range of food preparation appliances. With foodservice operations disrupted many consumers looked to recreate their favourite dishes at home. Furthermore,…

The strongest trend in health and wellness soft drinks in Italy in 2022 concerned the development of low sugar and no added sugar soft drinks. This was linked to the growing media attention on Italy’s rising obesity rate and the health risks…

With the COVID-19 crisis, many consumers purchased new computers and peripherals to set up home office spaces or for distance learning, which led to unprecedented peaks in demand. This has been reducing demand for new products over time, given that…

Sales of home laundry appliances have continued to decline in retail volume terms in 2023, after a steep decline in 2022. This is in part due to high interest rates which have made it more difficult for consumers to buy a new home, as well as making…