The Grocery sector and the Food market in general continue to grow both in Italy and in Europe. According to data from Forrester, market analysis company, Retail sales in Western Europe will exceed one trillion euros in 2022. The channel will continue to grow until 2025, when it is expected to reach € 1.1 trillion. Online market growth is also important and could account for about 2 percent of the total by 2025.

In Italy, the summer months feature Gelati (Ice-creams)

In the Italian retail sector, IRI data for TUTTOFOOD in August confirm the trends of previous months with Gelati (ice-creams) as the protagonists, aided by the hot summer months. These trends are growing at even much higher rates than inflation for the period, with an exploit of +20.5 percent for a total of € 174 million in August alone. Since January, they have increased 14.8 percent to over € 860 million. Growth during Special Occasions and Fresh Desserts, also in line with the search for "comfort food", with increases of 34.7 percent and 28.6 percent respectively in August and totals of € 1 million and € 36 million, respectively. In the first year half, they grew by 15.1 percent and 24.1 percent to € 602 million in value and € 268 million respectively.

Lockdown trends and Beverage momentum are confirmed

August again confirmed the onset of the Italian trend during the pandemic lockdowns favoring Pasta, which in fact had a 25 percent increase to € 101 million. Since the beginning of the year, it has had a double-digit growth of 17.4 percent touching € 830 million (€ 829 million). During the last summer month, Fresh Pasta also registered an increase, actually growing almost 7 percent (6.9 percent) to € 49 million. Its growth since January remains stable, reaching € 474 million. As for Total Packaged Food in the month of August, there is an alignment with inflation values, growth was 10.7 percent for a total of € 4,180 million. While, since the beginning of the year, the effort made by the retail sector to absorb price increases is apparent, with a 4.1 percent increase in value, totaling € 34.9 billion.

According to data from the Beverage Wholesalers Channel (Integrated and Consortia), the Beverage sector is always growing strongly (+12.8), and in July it reached the € 470 million mark. Between January and July, there was a 57.2 percent increase, totaling € 2,381 million.