Italy has one of – if not the – most recognizable gastronomies in the world, so looking at the upward trajectory that frozen food had here in the last couple of years is a great sign for the industry worldwide. Virtually every Italian eats frozen food products, and the consumption per capita keeps reaching new heights.
The consumption decisions made at the table appear to accurately mirror the social and economic tendencies that the recent pandemic crisis has aided in fostering. Lockdown, increased time spent at home, and a growing propensity to stock up on food all contributed to a surge in the consumption of frozen goods across all product groups from 2020 to 2022. As a result, Italy’s per capita consumption of 15 kg was first exceeded in 2020.
Today, 98% of Italians eat frozen foods, and this statistic applies to all age groups, regions of the country, and all family types without exception. In order to show how the Italian freezer and the approach to the consumption of frozen food changed, as well as on the basis of the various types of families and age groups, the IIAS – Istituto Italiano Alimenti Surgelati collaborated with the research firm BVA-DOXA to photograph the new trends in the sector. Over half of Italians (54%) increased their consumption of frozen foods between 2020 and 2022 (18% significantly and 36% moderately). This trend was more pronounced in the south of Italy than in the north, among young people, and in households with young children. The latter group, along with people under 35, are the ones who use sub-zero products the most frequently; on average, they do so 2.44 times each week. A startling statistic that has led more and more families to switch to a larger appliance in place of their freezer or refrigerator in 2020: +32.3% of new freezers and +40% of large refrigerators.
Vegetables popular with singles, fish products chosen by families with children
As the popularity of frozen foods rises, so does their variety: 74% of those surveyed by IIAS said they’ve added previously untried items to their freezer and have tasted everything from veggies to snacks, pizza to fish, and ready meals. Vegetables, seafood, and frozen pizzas have proven to be the “must have” items in Italian freezers even after COVID-19, but with some variations: Most individuals and couples without children (44%) prefer frozen vegetables, whereas families with children (40%) and those located in central Italy are increasingly consuming more frozen fish items. 26% of people favor pizza, snacks, and french fries; this number jumps to 29% in the North-East and 30% in households with small children.
The Italian freezer also has no shortage of ready meals (13%), which are practical foods that are still preferred even after the pandemic’s initial phase and are more prevalent in the freezers of single people without children (16%) and in central Italy (15%). On the other hand, households with older children have sufficient space in their freezers to accommodate all frozen goods equally: 30% of their purchases range from pizza to snacks to fish. Finally, 43% of Italians say they independently freeze goods to store up (such as bread, meat, sauces, or other home-made preparations); this is particularly common in the North-East. Practicality (70%) has been reaffirmed as the primary motivator for purchases by Italian consumers across all frozen product categories; this is particularly true for women, consumers in the North-East, and those in the 35–54 age range.
To read the entire article, please access your complimentary e-copy of Frozen Food Europe May-June, 2023 issue here.