Ecommerce conquers food: online sales of groceries at EUR 4.16 billion
The food&grocery sector grows by 6.2%. Digital consumers are up 8.8% and pay attention not only to price but also to the quality of service offered (especially with regard to delivery time).
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Key points
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In the first eight months of 2024, the Italian Food & Grocery market reached a total value of EUR 75.7 billion, with ecommerce increasingly asserting itself as a crucial channel, accounting for 6% of the total, or EUR 4.6 billion. Growth compared to the previous year is 6.2% with food alone amounting to EUR 4.16 billion, with a particularly positive trend recorded in the non-alcoholic beverages segment. These are the figures that emerged from the Netcomm Observatory, in collaboration with Foxintelligence by NielsenIQ, which presented the numbers and trends of digital in Italy.
Increasing per capita expenditure
.The global ecommerce market in Food & Grocery recorded a significant growth of 22.8% in 2024, reaching USD 680 billion (EUR 644 billion). Europe, although accounting for only a third of the US market and a fifth of the Asian market, continues to grow, with a total value of USD 71.5 billion (EUR 67.7 billion). Per capita spending on digital food purchases in Europe, at EUR 340 in 2024, is expected to rise to EUR 465 by 2029, signalling a still expanding market.
Growing online users
.In Italy, food & beverage accounts for 6% of the digital retail market, with the percentage of online shoppers growing to 27.1% in 2024, an increase of 8.8% year-on-year. Italian consumers are demonstrating an increasing focus on quality and healthier products, with 21% planning to increase their food spending by shifting towards health and wellness choices. While the propensity to save is still widespread, there is a willingness to invest more for these products, with a 15% higher propensity to pay than the European average.
Discount phenomena and private labels
A significant trend in 2024 is the growth in sales of discount and private label products in the digital grocery sector, which saw a 1.14% increase in online share over the previous four half-years. This segment represents a response to consumer demand forsavings, but without sacrificing quality. Analysis of Italians' purchasing behaviour shows that the main drivers of sales in the digital food sector are not only price, but also the quality of service offered.
The importance of service over price
.Looking at the services that digital offers, the convenience of delivery charges accounted for 30.8% of shoppers, followed by efficient shipping (25.4%) and the speed and agility of the shopping experience (25.1%). These factors, combined with high loyalty, mean that more than 70% of online food sales come from repurchases, demonstrating a solid habit of using the digital channel for recurring expenses.
