GS1-Italy and Nielsen’s Immagino Observatory, in the eighth edition of its semi-annual report, takes an accurate picture of food consumption in Italy as of June 2020.
The Covid-19 pandemic-as already shown by last September’s Coop Report-has induced significant transformations in the habits of Italians, including in shopping and dining. (1) The analysis to follow.
100% Made in Italy, the driver of growth
The Italian character of the food is confirmed as a crucial element in consumers’ choices. The indication associated with the Italian origin of the food is present on more than 21 thousand products, 25.6 percent of the Osservatorio Immagino sample. And it fuels a business that grew 6.3 percent in one year to 8.2 billion euros, more than a quarter of the food total.
The Made in Italy identity of food is expressed in various forms:
– ‘100% Italian’
records extraordinary growth, +9.4 percent (compared to +3.5 in 2019). It appears on 7 percent of products, particularly mozzarella, Uht milk, extra virgin olive oil, eggs, tomato puree, frozen vegetables, and fourth poultry and rabbit processing,
– the Italian flag remains the most popular image, on 14.9 percent of shelf products, with +5.3 percent growth (it was +0.7 percent a year earlier). Credit also goes to the presence of the tricolor on the best-selling categories during the lockdown. Eggs, frozen vegetables, extra virgin olive oil, ready-made sauces, Uht milk, fourth-process poultry, beers and sliced meats. Conversely, fourth-range vegetables and fresh milk are down.
– ‘Produced in Italy’
is instead declining. Sales of products identified with this claim mark -0.8%. This wording is used less and less, particularly on certain categories of products (e.g., Easter eggs, eggs, sliced meats, drinking yoghurt), partly because it triggers the duty to indicate the different origin or provenance of the primary ingredient (under EU Reg. 2018/775).
PDO and other geographical indications
Geographical indications are increasingly found in products offered in supermarkets and hypermarkets. And the audience appreciates. The results are articulated as follows:
– PDO, +12.3 percent in sales, up from +1.8 percent in the previous year. Leading the way is grana, followed by table cheeses and sliced meats.
– DOC, +6.6 percent, with wine and prosecco leading the trend,
– PGI, +7.1%. In sharp recovery after -0.3 percent in 2019, especially on sliced meats, oranges, and semolina pasta,
– DOCG, +2.8% (vs. +3.5%), on wine and prosecco.
Regions of good food, the ranking of Osservatorio Immagino
Italy’s food and wine heritage is admirably distributed along the country. Each region is characterized by typical productions that claims help to remind (and sell). Mozzarella from Campania, wines from the North, rice from Lombardy, pesto from Liguria, to name but a few.
Limiting ourselves to the performance of regional Made in, it emerges that the most recalled region on the label is Trentino Alto Adige. The 4.2 percent increase in sales is mainly supported by increased sales of wines, sparkling wines, and speck. Although last in the ranking, mentioned in only 0.1 percent of labels, Molise instead wins the title of ‘region of the year.’ In 12 months, its name yielded +28.7 percent in sales, thanks mainly to semolina pasta.
Free from, ‘antibiotic-free‘ triumphs
Among the 17 monitored claims most liked by consumers, ‘antibiotic-free‘ stands out, a sign of growing awareness of the antibiotic resistance danger. (2) More present on labels (+15.3 percent), although still uncommon (0.2 percent of products), appearing mainly on poultry products, sliced meats and fresh eggs. And it increases its sales by +51.7 percent (was +87.1 percent).
‘Preservative-free’
is instead the most popular claim. It is present on 6 percent of products, although it shows a slight decline in sales (-0.8 percent), mainly due to contraction on the supply side.
Palm oil free
In second place among the most popular claims is ‘palm oil-free‘ (3.9 percent of products). Cheap and unsustainable tropical fat is still prevalent in foods, but avoidable, as we have seen. Consumers reward its absence by increasing purchases of palm oil-free products by 1.4 percent.
Products presented with the claim ‘no added sugar’ (+9.8 percent), ‘non-fried’ (+8.7), ‘glutamate-free’ (+8.5), and ‘aspartame-free’ (+7) are also rewarded with increased sales. On the latter, moreover, new alarms are emerging, as we have reported.
The boom of ‘polyphosphate-free‘
From this edition, the Immagino Observatory monitors 3 more free-from claims: ‘dairy-free,‘ ‘egg-free,’ and ‘polyphosphate-free. While the first two mainly pertain to vegan intolerances or preferences, the third detects for safety issues.
The ‘polyphosphate-free‘ claim increased sales by +8.9% in 12 months for products such as sliced meats, frankfurters, diced sausages, and sliced processed cheese. However, the much-discussed additives (E452), suspected of harming health, are widespread. At a brief market survey, we found some in
– Prepared meals: AIA brand meat preparations (Chicken Salad, Kebab, chicken drumsticks), Montana canned meat, Maggi noodles (Nestlé),
– sausage (Wudy from AIA),
– formaggini (Kiri Dippi, Crema Bel Paese Galbani). (2)
The world of ‘rich-in‘
Foods ‘rich in‘ nutrients, micronutrients and other substances perceived as beneficial number 8,274 (11.2 percent of the sample) and fuel a turnover of more than 3.2 billion euros.
Overall, the ‘rich in‘ recorded a +4.2 percent increase in sales. The most significant increase is in ‘omega-3‘ claims (-10.3%) and ‘protein‘, +10.2%. Also good were ‘source of lacticacid bacteria’ foods, up 4.9 percent.
Fibers, the top of the category
Established and growing further is the segment of fiber-rich foods. A health ally, as we know.
‘Fibers’
is the most popular claim (4.5 percent of products) and saw an increase in sales to +5.2 percent. Added to these products are the 1,883 products labeled with the claim ‘whole grain’ (good source of fiber, if ‘true whole grain‘), whose sales increase again: +2.5 percent, after the previous year’s better +6.8.
Gluten free and lactose free
Foods formulated for people who are allergic or intolerant to gluten and lactose (9,600 products) are worth 3.9 billion euros, an increase in sales of +4.8 percent.
‘Gluten-free‘ grows, up 4.1 percent. The crossed-out ear logo, which expresses the certification of AIC (Italian Celiac Association), in turn registers +2.7 percent. In both cases, demand is livelier than supply, the Immagino Observatory points out.
‘Lactose-free‘ (2,000 products) is growing at a rate of +7.8 percent (+1.9 percent in 2019), mainly due to its use in sliced meats, cold cuts, sausages and table cheeses.
Ethical and religious preferences
Under the umbrella of ‘identity products’ are collected foods sought for ethical and/or religious reasons:
– Veg, meaning vegan or vegetarian, grows by +7.2 percent,
– Vegetarian, +8.5 percent,
– vegan, +7.6 percent,
– kosher, suitable for the dictates of the Jewish religion, +4.7 percent,
– halal, conforming to the rules of the Muslim religion, -0.4 percent.
Also included in the group are organic foods, whose choice is also motivated by health and environmental protection reasons in light of scientific evidence on pesticide toxicity. Poisons present in one out of every two conventional foods and absent in organically grown produce.
The 7,700 organic labeled products offered in supermarkets and hypermarkets accelerated sales by +3.3 percent, with particular dynamism for flour, eggs, frozen vegetables, and beef preparations. The sector has also grown in the past year thanks to home deliveries organized by manufacturers during the lockdown, as well as in chains and specialty stores.
The most popular beneficial ingredients
In the Superfruit group, beneficial fruits, as such or as an ingredient, almond continues to seduce consumers, +4.7 percent sales. The flood of cheap products from distant lands is countered by the rise of the Italian almond, the virtues of which we have already recounted.
An extraordinary boom involves avocados, +115.2% sales. The exotic fruit also benefits from advertising campaigns that are not as vibrant, unfortunately, for organic Italian jewelry. Badly, however, goes coconut water, which gives up with -27.6 percent.
Supercereals
Flours and grains, which filled the pantries of Italians in the lockdown, have varied greatly. Cornmeal (+15.3) and oats (+6.4 percent) did very well. Instead, wheat germ (-28.3), kamut (-4.9) and quinoa (-5.2) plummet.
Sweeteners, the meltdown of stevia
The promising sweetener stevia seems to have run out of steam. After boosted growth as a prized (and expensive) ingredient and exploited as a booster on deceptive sweeteners (see the Bolzano manufacturer’s case), it marks -11.5 percent sales. Accomplice, the Immagino Observatory points out, is the decline in chewing gum, beverages and colas.
Smaller decline for cane sugar, -1.2 percent.
Seeds and spices
‘Beneficial’ seeds mark a good increase in sales. As such or as an ingredient, pumpkin seeds (+42.6), sesame seeds (+33.8), chia seeds (+22.2), and flax seeds (+13.5) shine. Growth in sales of hulled hemp seeds is also proceeding steadily (up 4 percent).
Spices so sought after in years past lose share: to turmeric -4.4, ginger -2.7 (it was +15.1% the year before), cinnamon -1.4.
The decline of goji berries
Among superfoods, goji berries plummet (-27.1 percent), matcha tea takes off (+28.2), and the new entry açai (+54.3), a berry from the Amazonian palm family, grows well.
Finally,spirulina algaeloses share , -5.1%. Due to the drastic decline in sales of ready-to-eat foods, shelved by Italians returned to the stove in the Covid-19 era.
The full Imagine Observatory document can be downloaded at this link.
Marta Strinati
Notes
(1) Marta Strinati, Dario Dongo. Coop 2020 report, Italians at the table in Covid-19 era. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 10.9.20, https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/consum-attori/rapporto-coop-2020-gli-italiani-a-tavola-in-era-covid-19
(2) Dario Dongo, Andrea Adelmo Della Penna. One Health and antibiotic resistance, a solution at hand. GIFT(Great Italian Food Trade). 10.2.21, https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/salute/one-health-e-antibiotico-resistenza-una-soluzione-a-portata-di-mano
(3) Market survey conducted on 17.2.21 on commerce portals Easycoop and Everli
Professional journalist since January 1995, he has worked for newspapers (Il Messaggero, Paese Sera, La Stampa) and periodicals (NumeroUno, Il Salvagente). She is the author of journalistic surveys on food, she has published the book "Reading labels to know what we eat".
