T. Ozbun
Research expert covering food retail and all food topics for Italy and Brazil
Food retail in Italy - statistics & facts
In the face of current rising prices, the food retail sector in Italy finds itself in the midst of a dynamic shake-up. Superstores and supermarkets traditionally dominate the market share in the food retail sector. However, the tides are shifting as discount stores experience a surge in their market share. Faced with financial constraints due to inflation, customers are increasingly turning to these formats to save on grocery expenses. The evolving dynamics of this industry are reshaping preferences of cost-conscious consumers, prompting them to seek more affordable options.
The food retail industry in Italy encompasses a wide range of formats: grocery stores, hypermarkets, supermarkets, discount stores, and convenience stores. In 2023, the total turnover of the food retail industry in Italy reached nearly 174 billion euros, making it one of the most important sectors in the country's economy. Major food and grocery retailers include Selex, with the highest market share, Conad, and Coop Italia. Other leading food retailers were Esselunga, Gruppo VéGé, and Eurospin, all of which are supermarkets or discount grocery chains.
Times are changing and traditional or leading brands will need to get creative in order to compete against private labels.
Organic food retail
Retail sales of organic food have seen steady growth in Italy since 2020. In 2024, organic food sales in the country amounted to a value of about 5.2 billion euros – that is almost 1.5 million more than in 2020, when they totaled approximately 3.9 billion euros. Supermarkets alone generated sales of about 2.4 billion euros. Consequently, the value of retail sales of organic products per capita doubled between 2011 and 2023, from 29 euros per capita spent in the first year to just under 66 in 2023. Fruit was the most sought-after category, accounting for close to a quarter of total organic food spending, followed by milk and dairy products and by vegetables.Inflation and private label
While in September 2021 only half of Italian consumers expected food prices to rise, by mid-2022 this share had exceeded 80 percent, settling back down to around 70 percent as of January 2025. A common change in spending behavior in times such as these is to switch to cheaper alternatives. This not only includes turning to discount stores but also transitioning to private labels. These products offer a low-cost but often similar quality alternative to other brands and, similarly to discounters, have the potential to witness a surge in their sales. Private label sales revenues in grocery retail in Italy have indeed been steadily growing since 2019, estimated to peak at 14.2 billion euros in 2024. Following a parallel growth trajectory, their market share approached nearly a quarter of all food retail sales in 2024.Times are changing and traditional or leading brands will need to get creative in order to compete against private labels.
