"Compatriots are the biggest consumers with 23.3 kilos per capita per year," the organisation points out, "but almost 60% of Italian pasta production ends up on tables all over the world, with exports touching over 200 countries. Not only that, according to a demoscopic survey commissioned in recent weeks by the pasta makers of UIF (AstraRicerche Institute, cawi method, 1,020 online interviews with a representative sample of Italians aged 18-70) for 8 out of 10 Italians it is the undisputed symbol of Italianness, as well as the ambassador of Made in Italy for almost all of the sample, with a percentage of 96.6%. Not only that: pasta ranks in the 'Top 5' of the elements that make Italians proud, along with monuments, art, natural landscapes and literature. "For Italians, pasta is a matter of belonging and a source of pride. This research confirms this and comes at a politically delicate time,' comments Margherita Mastromauro, President of the Italian Pasta Makers of Unione Italiana Food. 'The pasta sector is a pillar of our economy and our cultural identity. Any measure that hampers its competitiveness on international markets is a threat not only to companies, but to the entire 'Made in Italy' system'.
According to the study, 80 million portions of Italian pasta were offered in the homes and restaurants of almost 200 countries last year. The increase in exports recorded in 2024 is also confirmed in the first half of 2025, with volume growth of +2.5% compared to the same period in 2024 (1,195,025,792 in 2024 vs 1,224,476,880 in 2025). "The Italian pasta industry confirms itself as a strategic asset of the Italian agri-food industry," conclude the organisation, "despite a scenario characterised by heavy tariffs on exports to the USA, inflation, conflict, rising raw material costs and climate change affecting durum wheat harvests.
France and Greece: two key markets for consumption and production
Italian supremacy is also reflected in the other major European pasta markets. In France, according to data from the Chambre de l'Agriculture, consumption reached 566,616 tonnes in 2022: over 96% of French people buy pasta and seven out of ten eat it at least once a week. Almost 16 packs are sold every second, totalling 488 million packs per year. French consumers thus eat twice as much rice and buy pasta on average 12 times a year. On the production front, France produced 453,705 tonnes in 2020, with a marked preference for spaghetti (23% of choices). Moreover, 26% of the French declare loyalty to a specific brand.
In Greece, pasta is a deeply rooted food. According to data from the Union of European Pasta Producers (UN.A.F.P.A.), the country is second in the EU in per capita consumption with 12.2 kg per year, behind Italy (23.3 kg) and ahead of Germany (10.1 kg). Globally, Greece is fourth, surpassed by Italy, Tunisia and Venezuela. In 2024, European consumption exceeded 4 million tonnes for the first time.
Production is also growing: in 2024, Greece held fourth place in Europe with 185,000 tonnes, or 3.1% of the EU total. The entire European market saw an increase in the average selling price, which rose to EUR 1.50 per kilo, in line with the inflationary pressures of recent years.
