An estimated 18.4 million Italian families purchase organic products, according to a Nielsen study commissioned by Assobio, the association representing processing and distribution companies of organic products.
Of this figure, 3.2 million (+14.8 per cent on 2013) are repeat customers and buy organic every week, 3.2 million (+8.4 per cent) buy once a month and 12 million buy organic products every three months.
The sector is worth €2.5 billion, with revenue growth of 16 per cent in the first four months of 2015.
According to the study, the typical consumer is female, in the age groups 25 to 44 and 55 to 64 years. The top five categories in terms of turnover are eggs, jams and spreads based on fruit, crispy cakes, rice drinks, almond and rice, whole wheat pasta/spelled/kamut.
A survey by the Sana Observatory indicates that specialty stores remain the preferred channel for purchases of organic products (46.3 per cent) followed by large retailers (27 per cent). The range of organic products in supermarkets appears to be the highest in the last twelve years, with eggs and bread substitutes being the most purchased packaged organic product.
© 2015 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Branislav Pekic
