Dolce vita in stores as well

Italians enjoy life and food. The rate of economic growth is 3-4 per cent, inflation is around 2 per cent and Italians are spending more on food. Private labels are far less important than in other developed Western European countries because brands are important for Italians. Although Italy is one of the most powerful economies in the EU, there are enormous differences between the North and the South. The Milan region represents a much more substantial economic potential than Rome or Naples. Italians have a rich cultural heritage which means a lot to them. This is also true for food retail. Though chains like Auchan and Carrefour are present, with limited success, the Italian retail trade is far from being dominated by integrated stores. For example, the French have not been able to open any stores in the South, as licences are the competence of local authorities, who never turn a deaf ear to you know who… The 5 largest chains account for 35 per cent of the food market which is far less than in Germany or France. Coop Italia, the market leader only holds an 11 per cent market share. Although there are around 2,000 discount stores, Lidl has no reason to be happy, especially after a 15 year long presence. During the past five years, the number of hyper markets has grown by 50 per cent, proving that administrative obstacles can be overcome. The merger of GS into Carrefour is proof that big fish eat small fish here as well. There is charming chaos in many places, including food stores. This reminds me of Hungary in the 80’s, with categories all mixed up without any perceivable system or concept. On the other hand, we should not be lead to believe that this is the case everywhere. The Ipercoop store on the shore of lake Como for example, meets the highest standards. The several hundreds of pastas are still cheap and all fruits are fresh and beautiful.
The assortment of seafood is not as wide as in France, but it is still enviable. Unfortunately, I haven’t seen any Hungarian products on the shelves, as they seem to be content with their own salami, wine and fruits…