Over one million tons of frozen products consumed in 2023 (1,016,358), with a slight growth in volume compared to 2022 (+0.14%) and a new all-time high in annual per capita consumption which, for the first time, exceeds the 17 kilo barrier, reaching 17.2 (+2.4% vs. 2022), for a market value of 5.8 billion euros, up from over 5.4 billion the previous year (+6.5%). These are the numbers that, in 2023, pushed the frozen food sector to reach unprecedented heights, driven by Out-of-Home, which recorded a growth of +5.3% compared to the previous year, offsetting both the small decrease in Retail (-1.1%) and the more significant ones of door-to-door (-8%) and e-commerce (-5%). This is what emerges from the “Annual Report on the Consumption of Frozen Products”, created by Iias – Istituto Italiano Alimenti Surgelati, to photograph the trend of the sector in Italy over the last year.
Furthermore, the report highlights an increase in domestic consumption of almost ten percentage points (+9.4%) compared to pre-pandemic levels (2019). Going into the detail of the analysis of the individual product categories, vegetables confirm their leadership in terms of volumes consumed in Retail in 2023, with over 215,000 tonnes (despite a slight decrease compared to 2022 of -1.9%). Prepared vegetables (with 22,380 tonnes) instead record a fully positive performance, achieving a +3.7% vs. 2022 and reaffirming, once again, the role of frozen vegetables as ‘comfort food’, chosen for their ability to satisfy the demand for well-being and high nutritional content that has always accompanied them.
Vegetables, potatoes and fish at the top of Italian families’ consumption preferences
Frozen potatoes are in second place among Italians’ preferences. In 2023, potatoes recorded the most positive performance in the sector, with approximately 110,500 tons purchased and a growth of +8% vs. 2022 (102,400 tons). Safe, nutritious and easy to prepare, frozen fish products conquer third place on the podium, reaching 92,500 tons, including breaded prepared fish (over 33,000 tons) and natural fish (59,000). Next in fourth place in the ranking are ready meals, i.e. first and second courses, prepared side dishes and foods with vegetable proteins, which stand at over 66,600 tons (recording a slight decrease of -1.1% compared to the almost 67,500 tons of 2022). The high quality of the ingredients, both traditional and innovative recipes, the speed of preparation and the attention to nutritional balance are confirmed as the key factors of their success among Italian families.
Finally, not to be forgotten are the savoury specialties (pancakes and other products), which maintained their share of 33,300 tonnes (with a slight decrease of 0.5% compared to 33,400 tonnes in 2022) and frozen meats, with 15,700 tonnes in 2023 (-3% vs. 2022). Among the other segments, the positive performance of frozen bread and pasta stands out, which recorded an increase of +1.3% vs. 2022, reaching over 5,730 tonnes.
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