Sales of health-focused food products, including free-from, allergy-friendly, nutrient-rich options, continue to thrive in Italy, according to a new study by GS1 Italy.
The Osservatorio Immagino report, which analysed more than 140,000 food products, highlighted ‘free from’ products as the largest category within the healthy food market, accounting for over 14,100 products on supermarket shelves.
In 2023, sales of these products exceeded €8.1 billion, a 9.7% increase from the previous year.
Low-Fat Products
Low-fat products, including strained Greek yogurt, skyr, traditional biscuits, turkey, and UHT milk, have seen strong growth (+0.4% in volume and +11.5% in value).
Similarly, products labeled ‘without hydrogenated fats’, such as biscuits, pastries, cakes, and margarine, have seen growth of 1.7% in volume and 15.2% in value.
Reduced Sugar
Consumers are also increasingly seeking out products with reduced sugar content. Fruit-based jams, spreads, preserved fruit, traditional biscuits, and fruit-based drinks have seen a rise in sales (+1.9% in volume and +18.3% in value to €1.4 billion).
For their part, products ‘without added sugars’ grew by 5.4% in volume and by 18.5% in value to €791 million.
Dietary Intolerance
While products for specific intolerances or allergies have faced challenges due to inflation (up 6.2% in value to €4.7 billion, but down 3.9% in volume), they still hold a significant presence in the retail market.
Gluten-free products, in particular, have experienced a decline in volume (-4.4%) but have maintained strong sales in value (+5.2% to €3.2 billion).
Lactose-free products have shown resilience, especially functional yogurts (-1.3% in volume, +8.9% in volume to €1.9 billion).
Elsewhere, ‘Enriched’ products, fortified with specific nutrients, are also becoming increasingly popular among consumers seeking to enhance their diets, with sales surpassing €5 billion (+10%).
Products labeled with lactic fermentation and proteins also performed particularly well. In particular, fresh and UHT milk, grana cheeses, protein-based foods, and products for athletes have been driving growth in the protein category, which generated the highest turnover (€1.88 billion), and achieved the highest annual growth (12.8%).
More Informed Consumers
According to Marco Cuppini, Research and Communication Director at GS1 Italy, consumers are more informed about nutrition and actively seek out products with specific health benefits, while manufacturers are incorporating more health claims and modifying their product formulations to meet consumer demands.
