Italy has introduced "Latte 100% Italiano" (100% Italian Milk), a new logo to indicate the origin of UHT milk. Based on feedback from consumers, the Italian Ministry of Agriculture will make a decision whether to officially adopt the logo.
According to Minister Maurizio Martina, the government is engaging with the industry to boost consumption of fresh milk and to support producers. He pointed out that 35,000 Italian companies are facing a crucial step after thirty years of quotas, which lifted on 1 April, while at the same time are suffering from the collapse in purchase milk prices to €0.35 per liter.
According to IRI data, sales of fresh milk in 2014 fell 6.2% in volume and 4.3% in value, while the UHT market dropped by 3.1% and 0.4%, respectively. The cheese sector also saw a 2.3% fall in volume.
The turnover of Italy's dairy sector amounts to €14.9 billion, accounting for 11% of the food industry. Over 35,000 companies produce about 11 million tons of milk (worth €4.8 billion), of which half is turned into cheese.
© 2015 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Branislav Pekic
