Sales of free-from products in Italy were worth over €6 billion in 2016, representing a 2.3% growth on 2015, according to data published by Osservatorio Immagino, a joint project by GS1 Italy and Nielsen.
The survey analysed the labels and packaging of 36,000 foodstuffs (excluding water and spirits) sold in supermarkets and hypermarkets throughout Italy. A total of 6,711 products were presented as 'without' or 'with low content', and carried various claims on labels, including 'no preservatives', 'without GMO', and 'without hydrogenated fats'.
However, sales of these products are falling in value, while sales of products sporting other claims are rising, reflecting new consumer trends in nutrition. This includes 'no additives', which was present on 1.9% of labels and experienced an annual growth of 3.8%,
Also growing are sales of no salt products (+15.2%), without palm oil (+13.5%), no added sugar (+10.5%), no saturated fat (+6.9%), low calories (+ 3.3%), and low or no fat (+ 2.2%).
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Branislav Pekic. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine
