Nomisma will present at BIOFACH 2024 the results of a market study carried out as part of the Being Organic in Eu project, managed by FederBio in partnership with Naturland DE and co-financed by the EU under EU regulations . n.1144/2014. The study shows that the organic sector maintains an important role in the agricultural supply chain, with a domestic market (domestic and out-of-home consumption) of approximately 5.4 billion euros and exports of organic products made in Italy of 3.6 billion euros. has been shown to have been reached.
Source: Nomisma for BIOFACH 2024 – Consumer Survey
Italians increasingly focus on sustainable food choices
In Italy, inflation is gradually slowing. In 2023, prices rose by 5.7%, down from 8.1% in 2022, but still have a significant impact on Italian household budgets (the additional cost inflation burden for a family with two children is at least 1,600 euros), of which over 700 euros were related to food). Despite the slowdown in price growth, this situation has led Italian consumers to adopt strategies to protect their purchasing power.
In this context, 9 out of 10 Italians have adopted strategies to cope with rising food costs. Specifically, 71% stopped buying extra products, 64% shopped primarily for bargains, and 6 in 10 Italians bought private label products. product. Despite the difficulties that characterized last year, Italians’ intention to spend more on household food consumption appears to be improving in 2024. In fact, more people (16% of the total) plan to increase their consumption. those who intend to reduce their consumption (11%), considering that in the monitoring carried out in August 2023 the same difference was -1 percentage point.
Italian food shopping options in 2024 must not only be affordable, but also meet the basic requirements of being healthy, traditional, environmentally friendly, easy to use and essential. A further sign that the Italian shopping cart is turning around is the fact that fruits and vegetables, which reported some declines in the summer, are now among the products with the highest sales increase. .
In this complex scenario, sustainability and environmental considerations have become key determinants of purchasing behavior. In this regard, one in two Italians says that they have adopted sustainable consumption options more frequently in the past five years.
These habits reflect a stronger commitment to reducing the climate impact of our actions, such as adding items to our shopping carts. In fact, two out of three Italians say they pay more attention to purchasing food and drink products with sustainability features.
Source: Nomisma – NIELSEN, AssoBio, Ismea data, Survey Imprese NOMISMA for ICE-Piattaforma ITA.BIO details
Italian organic market size
Cultivated surfaces and organic operators
Italy is a leader in the organic sector, with more than 2 million hectares under cultivation. It has the highest proportion of organic land in total cultivated area, at 19% compared to 11% in Germany and Spain and 10% in France. It remains the leader in the EU in terms of the number of organic businesses.
Italian organic market size
In 2023, organic food sales on the domestic market (domestic and out-of-home consumption) amounted to almost 5.4 billion euros. At-home consumption also drove market growth in 2023, increasing by +18% compared to 2022 and amounting to approximately EUR 1.3 billion. After a slight decline last year, home consumption recorded a positive increase of +5%.
Compared to 2022, sales through specialty retail channels started to increase again, increasing by +4.5%. Meanwhile, sales through large retail channels increased by 5% and other channels by 6% (including direct sales at markets and farms). solidarity purchasing groups, pharmacies, quasi-pharmacies, herbal stores…).
The impact of modern distribution on the Italian consumer market
Modern distribution has been identified as the main purchasing channel for Italian consumers. In 2023, the purchase value of organic food in modern distribution was 2.1 billion euros (Omnichannel boundary, source: Nielsen IQ). Italian distribution, both in terms of its role compared to other purchasing channels (accounting for 58% of total sales related to household consumption in Italy) and product selection (currently private labels account for 47.5). It continues to be the main purchasing channel for organic food by Italians. % of sales from modern distribution).
Within the grocery retail industry, the hypermarket + supermarket channel accounted for approximately €1.5 billion in organic product sales in 2023 (surroundings: fixed weight packaged products, source: Nielsen). This has increased since 2022.
Looking at the top-selling organic products, you’ll find eggs (+9.7%), crackers (+4.4%), and fruit-based spreads and amuz (+6.2%). Among other products that recorded an increase in value sales were preserved fruits, which grew by +33.6% and bananas, which grew by +25.5%.
Source: Nomisma On Nielsen DataExport of Italian Organic Products
Italy’s trade balance for organic products was positive, with exports amounting to EUR 3.6 billion in 2023, registering a growth of +8%, in line with the overall trend of agricultural exports. Agricultural products account for the majority of organic exports (81% of the total), while wine accounts for the remaining 19% (a larger share than Italy’s total agricultural exports). This data comes from direct surveys of companies interviewed by Nomisma for Agenzia ICE and FederBio as part of the ITA.BIO project. Accurately and continuously identify trade flows for Italian organic products on international markets.
Characteristics of organic products that Italians seek
According to the last consumer survey conducted by Nomisma in 2023, 90% of the population aged 18 and 65 said they had consciously purchased at least one organic food product in the past year. In fact, it is an important indicator of consumer demographics and interest in organic products.
Shopping cart configurations are becoming increasingly complex, reflecting the adoption of different eating styles. 86% of conscious buyers choose 100% plant-based products, and 55% buy “no additives” (64% are lactose-free). Free, 45% Gluten-Free), 1 in 3 Italians have purchased a product that is ‘rich in protein’.
Interest in other product characteristics has determined the direction of organic product producers, and to date, the majority of products in the large retail sector are of Italian origin (34.5% of organic category references). We focus on “rich” products. (23.5% has a higher share related to fiber-rich products than protein-rich 14.2% or whole grains 7.8%, with 5.3% still the largest area of development for conventional products).
Additionally, organic remains the first choice for most buyers (58%), especially in some categories such as fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs (12%), and extra virgin olive oil.
But what are the main motivations for Italian consumers to buy organic products? First of all, 27% of Italian consumers believe that organic products are safer for their health than conventional options but also sustainable (23% think it’s more environmentally friendly), 10% think it’s more animal welfare friendly, and a further 10% mention social sustainability, small-scale We intend to support the producers).
Source: Nomisma for BIOFACH 2024 – The importance of consumer research knowledge and the role of education
The monitoring carried out by Nomisma clearly highlights several important areas of work that need to be done in this category, in line with the sustainability goals of Agenda 2030. In particular, it refers to Goal 12.8, which aims to provide access to livelihoods for all people everywhere in the world by 2030. , access relevant information and gain correct awareness about sustainable development and a lifestyle in harmony with nature.
In this logic, the need for improved consumer knowledge is directly expressed by consumers. Nomisma’s research shows that 28% do not think they have enough information to evaluate the properties of organic products, and a further 57%, despite having good product awareness, still want more. I want information.
The need for more information about the characteristics of organic products and the guarantees underlying certification spans many aspects. First of all, consumers are interested in the differences between organic and conventional products (85% of respondents), the sustainability profile associated with organic production methods (72%), and the specific benefits of organic methods for the environment. need more information to understand (75%).
In this regard, the majority of consumers who had the opportunity to participate in point-of-sale activities found information and communication activities useful in learning more about the features and guarantees offered by organic brands. In particular, 98% of Italians felt that this initiative helped them better understand the difference between organic and conventional products, and 88% were able to understand the guarantees offered by the brand.
Be Organic in the EU: Choose European Organic Leaf for a Better World
The “BEING ORGANIC in EU” project is a promotional campaign proposed by FederBio in cooperation with Naturland and co-funded by the European Union in accordance with EU Regulation n.1144/2014. A clear set of actions is envisaged for the two target countries, Italy and Germany, aimed at increasing knowledge, reputation and consumption of organic products.
“BEING ORGANIC in EU” brings together the “European Green Deal”, “Farm to Fork” and “Biodiversity 2030” strategies to promote ethically, healthy, climatically and ecologically resilient societies. The aim is to support and contribute to sustainable agriculture and food systems. It improves food systems and highlights the excellent properties of European organic agriculture, both in terms of product quality and sustainability, from primary production to the consumer. For these reasons, the work carried out by this project is fully in line with the objectives of the “European Green Deal” and its strategy and is working to realize the “European Action Plan for the Development of Organic Agriculture”. There is.
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