T. Ozbun
Research expert covering food retail and all food topics for Italy and Brazil
Food shopping behavior in Italy - statistics & facts
Food plays a vital role in Italian culture. Consumers place great importance on finding the best ways to shop for ingredients and groceries to prepare their favorite dishes at home. The food retail industry in Italy has experienced significant growth in recent years, becoming one of the largest and most competitive in the country. However, the landscape of food shopping behavior has undergone a shift due to food inflation and the subsequent increase in prices. These factors have impacted Italian food shopping habits and purchase decisions.
Discounters: challenging the norm
The traditional role of supermarkets has undergone a significant change as the growing presence of discount grocery stores challenges their dominance. While supermarkets remain the preferred shopping channel for food, the popularity of discounters has increased significantly, driven by the need to cope with inflation and financial limitations. Customers have been turning to discount stores as a means to cut down on grocery expenses. However, despite this shift, convenience still holds as the most important factor when selecting a store, closely followed by price.Private labels: an acceptable compromise
Given the rising prices, private labels have served as a reliable choice for many grocery shoppers in Italy, offering affordability without compromising on quality. Italy has experienced a notable surge in the popularity of private brands, with close to one third of consumers reporting an increase in their purchases compared to the previous year. These products have garnered significant popularity, to the extent that nine percent of Italians stated never purchasing anything other than private labels, and another three-quarter reported buying them alongside name brands.Online shopping: the rise of the one-click purchase
While the majority of shoppers in Italy still prefer the traditional in-store shopping experience, the country has witnessed a growing interest in e-commerce grocery purchases, following a trend observed in other countries around the world. Over a five-year period from 2017 to 2022, the share of Italian shoppers purchasing groceries online nearly doubled, reaching 18 percent in the latest period. The preference for online shopping among Italian consumers has been driven by factors such as the convenience of home delivery, eliminating the need to leave one's house, and the time-saving aspect of a simple click on a webpage instead of physically visiting a store. On the other hand, over half of surveyed Italians still expressed a preference for seeing products before making a purchase, followed by a significant share enjoying the experience of going to a supermarket, making these the main reason for not buying groceries online. Because of this, in-store shopping remains popular in Italy, although future trends could potentially challenge this status quo.
