Organics in Italy on the increase again

The economic crisis has not affected organic products in Italy. Evidence of this is the latest research by the Ismea / GFK-Eurisko panel, which indicates a growth of organic spending by 7.3% in 2012, after more than 9% in 2011. The data on the purchases of organic packaged products at Italian chains reveal particularly favourable trends for cookies, candy and snacks (+22.9% on 2011) and non-alcoholic beverages (+16.5 %). Pasta, rice and bread substitutes also increased (+8.9%), as well as fresh and processed fruit and vegetables (+7.8%), and milk and dairy products (+4.5 %). Eggs were slightly down by 1, 9%. (Picture: kamut cookies from Il Fior di Loto)
 

The results of 2012 confirm a strong concentration of purchases of a few goods, with the first twenty products covering almost three quarters of the total expenditure and the first ten close to 60%. Eggs, despite the setback, remained the product with the highest demand, with about 13% of the total spending. Jams and marmalades followed with 8, 8% - an increase of 15.7% on 2011. Milk covered another 8.6%, thanks to an increase of almost 9% measured on an annual basis. Yogurt had a market share of 8, 2 % in 2011, after a decline of purchases (4.1% on the previous year).
 

Geographically speaking, organics were most popular in the northern regions in 2012, with a market share of 70%, compared with a share of about 23% in Central Italy and about 7% in the South. The dynamics of purchases reveal a positive trend in all areas except the south, where spending on organics was down by 7.1% on 2011. With regard to the different distribution channels, due to the crisis, a sharp increase could be observed in discounters (25.5% on 2011), ISMEA reports. Hypermarkets and supermarkets have closed with a plus of 5.5%. The full report (in Italian) is available here: http://www.ismea.it/