3rd consecutive month of decline for Fruit & Vegetable purchases

Italian consumers, for the third consecutive month, bought less fruit (-5.6%) and vegetables (-0.7%). Buying habits have changed, but prices also seem to have played a role.

 

 

 

In Italy, fruit and vegetable purchases last August showed a further decline for the third consecutive month. Compared to the same month of 2019, only 450,000 tonnes were purchased, i.e. -3.6%. Fruit volumes reached 262,000 tonnes, or -5.6%, and vegetable volumes 187,000 tonnes, or -0.7%.

 

 

 

According to CSO Italy in its Market Observatory study, based on GFK surveys, the situation is more complex. Not only have the buying habits of Italian families changed, but prices seem to have played a role as well. For the whole category, the average price remains stable (+ 1%) but by detailing it can be observed that the prices increased by 8.4% for fruit and that for vegetables there was a decrease of 7.5%. For packaged products, purchased volumes increased 5% and the average price decreased by 3%.

 

 

 

Among the products most bought in August are watermelons (but -4% compared to August 2019), melons (-5%), peaches (-13%), nectarines (-13%). and bananas (-4%). According to these data, the best performances were achieved by pears (+ 36%), kiwis (+ 41%) and strawberries (+ 13%).

 

 

 

For vegetables, the most purchased during the month of August are tomatoes (but -5% compared to August 2019), potatoes (+ 12%), zucchini (-11%), eggplants (+ 1%), green beans (-12%). 4th Line salads posted an increase of + 6%.

 

 

 

While the volumes purchased are down for products from conventional agriculture, for organic products the quantities are almost similar to last year.