Barbecues conquer the Italians: consumption dedicated to open-air cooking is growing

Experience: this word sums up the success of the barbecue which, year after year, is also conquering Italians, particularly during the festivities between April and May, when 62% of enthusiasts "open" the season for this ritual, reveals a survey conducted by Ipsos for Calvé. It is not simply a matter of cooking outdoors, but of experiencing a playful moment and sharing it with family and friends in the name of cheerfulness and socialising, the two key values attributed to barbecue by 72% and 65% of Italians respectively.

Not forgetting the 'naturalness' factor, since the barbecue has benefited from the rediscovery of the pleasure of eating outdoors. And not only in parks or beaches but also on terraces, balconies or in the garden at home, as 44 Italians out of 100 do. So much so that Italians "are betraying" the classic charcoal and increasingly turning to gas models, "which now account for 50% of the market and which, especially in the compact version, represent the elective choice particularly in urban contexts", explains Simone Dal Pra', country manager sales of Weber-Stephen Products Italia. NielsenIQ and GfK figures for 2024 show a 10% increase in volume sales, boosted by an 11% drop in average price.

In parallel, courses aimed at enthusiasts have grown, such as those held by Signori Del Barbecue, namely Gianni Guzzardi and Madga Mongiorgi who, from historical importers of equipment back in the 1980s, have turned into Italian barbecue experts, with a dedicated school and lessons held all over Italy.

Simple, informal and fun, focused on meat (68% of cases) but also open to fish and vegetables, the barbecue has entered the habits of Italians, becoming a consumer occasion to be cultivated, as confirmed by the attention it is receiving in modern distribution. Some chains (such as Lidl) devote entire leaflets to it, with offers on products, equipment and accessories, and others (such as Todis) have also started to sell fine anatomical cuts and have created entire ranges of ad hoc products.

"We decided to launch our Bbq line because the meat market is becoming more and more specialised and consumers are also looking for hedonistic and higher quality products, without renouncing convenience of course," explains Paolo Turchetta, sales manager of the Todis chain. "In addition, the new skin pack packaging allows us to significantly extend the shelf-life of the products.