Germany, France, Italy and the UK are the top bread-consuming nations in the EU, according to data from the Federation of EU Manufacturers and Suppliers of Ingredients to the Bakery, Confectionary and Patisserie Industries (FEDIMA).
The figures, released by the Italian Association of Bakery Ingredients (AIBI), part of FEDIMA, reveals that the bakery products market as a whole is worth €137 billion, of which bread accounts for €73 billion. A total of 38 million tons of bread are produced per year in the EU, with an average pro-capita consumption of 64 kilograms.
European consumers still prefer traditional bread (73%), but the increasing attention to health, the popularity of ethnic cuisine, new distribution channels and the differences in taste have changed the market.
Consumption of pre-packaged long-lasting products (25%) and pre-packaged for home cooking (2%) are growing, while smaller sizes are increasingly popular.
© 2016 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Branislav Pekic. To subscribe to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine, click here.