Italian retail cooperative D.IT-Distribuzione Italiana has said that private label sales across its business were up 20% last year, with own-brand items now being purchased by 90% of shoppers.
This was largely driven by shopper demand for value for money, the group said, with its Primo budget range performing strongly, however its premium line, Gusto & Passione, and regional (Verde Mio) and health and wellness (Equilibrio & Piacere) ranges also performed well.
D.IT-Distribuzione Italiana's private label range encompasses some 2,000 SKUs.
The group, which has a network of 1,200 stores across nine different trading banners, Realco, Consorzio Europa, Cedi Sigma Campania, Coal, San Francesco, Distribuzione Sisa Centro Sud, Sisa Sicilia, Supercentro and Europa Commerciale, reported an overall turnover of more than €3 billion last year. Some 700 of its outlets are proximity/convenience stores.
Forum Consortium
It said that the year 2020 was notable for the creation of the Forum consortium, which includes D.IT-Distribuzione Italiana, Crai Secom, Despar Servizi and C3, under which these groups will seek to develop better negotiating terms with suppliers.
D.IT-Distribuzione Italiana recently strengthened its presence in the Puglia, Basilicata and Calabria regions of Italy, thanks to its partnership with the Supercentro brand, which operates around 90 stores under the Sisa banner.
Paolo Michele Macripò, president and co-founder of Supercentro, was recently appointed a board member of D.IT-Distribuzione Italiana.
Elsewhere, cooperative member Consorzio Europa, which operates the Sigma banner, recently announced the opening of a new convenience format, under the Sigusta Sigma banner.
© 2021 European Supermarket Magazine. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones. For more Private Label news, click here. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
