The food industry in Italy – Data 2013

FOOD AND BEVERAGE Structure and trends of the market in Italy, with a distinction of the different types of packaging destined to the two sectors.

The Italian food sector as a whole - food and beverages - concluded 2013 with sales growth of 1.5%, thanks to the positive performance of exports, which registered a growth of 6.9% (source: Federalimentare).
It is estimated that the area of ​​food expresses a production of about 106 billion euro and the beverage area of ​​about 16.5 billion euro.
Exports represent a significant outlet and factor of profitability for the sector. The potential for development is there, although currently held back by the extreme fragmentation of the sector, composed of countless small businesses that, in general, have difficulty operating outside Italy.

The Italian food sector as a whole - food and beverages - concluded 2013 with sales growth of 1.5%, thanks to the positive performance of exports, which registered a growth of 6.9% (source: Federalimentare).
It is estimated that the area of ​​food expresses a production of about 106 billion euro and the beverage area of ​​about 16.5 billion euro.
Exports represent a significant outlet and factor of profitability for the sector. The potential for development is there, although currently held back by the extreme fragmentation of the sector, composed of countless small businesses that, in general, have difficulty operating outside Italy.

The ways and forms of packaging
In the food sector, packaging, as is known, also performs a function essential from the point of view of safety and as a communication tool.
With the aim of highlighting the best among the different types of packaging, it is worth examining separately the area of food in the strict sense as well as
the beverage industry.

Food sector
The packaging of food products, given the diversity of product types, presents a significant variety of packaging solutions.
The changes in the total production of twenty-five sectors monitored by Istituto Italiano Imballaggio in the food area resulted in a use, in 2013, of about 2.7005 million tons of packaging.
The breakdown includes both disposable and re-usable packaging, as well as primary, secondary and transport packaging.
According to an assessment of Istituto Italiano Imballaggio, the above values represent approximately 75% of the total of packaging in use in the food sector.
It is interesting to note that, in general, the growth trend of packaging consumption performs better than food sector values relating strictly to food products; Indeed, in 2013, the use of packaging for food packaging has substantially confirmed ​​2012 values, which derives from the following factors:
- an increase of pre-packaged products (e.g. cheese and salami);
- increase in the purchase of single-dose products, connected with the increase of single-person households.
The reduction in capacity involves, in general, a greater average weight of the packaging: for instance, when replacing a pack of 550 grams of any type of packaging with two 250 gram ones, the total weight of the packaging is higher.

Cellulose packaging. With a share of 42.8% of the total weight of packaging for the food sector, this type is the most widely used.
As for transport packaging, corrugated cardboard is the main type, with a share of about 16.5%.
Folding cartons, on the other hand, represent 3.5%. They have a wide range of applications: bakery products, pasta, frozen food, clusters for beverages, etc.
Sacks, bags and wrappers are other types belonging to the family of cellulose.
In this area, there are also rigid cellulose polylaminates, used in many industries including that of vegetable preserves.

Glass containers. This “historic” packaging continues to enjoy widespread use. The market share is positioned at 23.6%. The greater part is represented by glass jars (about 80%); the remaining 20% ​​is attributable to bottles, used essentially in the area of ​​tomato products (paste and sauce).
Plastic packaging (including converted flexible polylaminates). This type as a whole has a share of 18.1% and includes various and diverse types: transport film, wrapping film, containers, accessories, trays, bags and sacks, flexible tubes, bottles, buckets and drums. Baked goods, pasta, frozen foods, meats and coffee are the leading sectors in terms of use of such packaging.
This large family also includes packaging made with flexible polylaminates, which, by their nature, play an important role in the food sector.
The positioning of plastic packaging shows a positive growth trend as a result of a market orientation that evidences the wide dissemination of pre-packaged food in supermarkets.

Steel packaging. Used for the past two centuries, thanks to ongoing innovation, this type has maintained a strong position with a share of 11.5%.
The types used are various containers, closures, spray cans.
The canned food sector is the largest user of steel packaging, followed by chemical products.

Aluminium packaging. The market share of this type in the food area is approximately 1%. Considered, however, with reference to the number of units of packaging used instead of weight (aluminum is a very light material, albeit robust), the incidence would undoubtedly be higher.
The range of aluminum packaging in the food industry includes food tins, trays and wrappers.

Wood packaging (pallets). In the area of ​​food, but excluding ready to eat fresh fruit and vegetables (not taken into account in this analysis), pallets have a market share of 3%.

Beverage sector
Even for drinks, packaging is a strategic variable. In fact, in addition to protecting the product and facilitating handling, packaging also represents, as noted for the packaging of food, a crucial marketing tool.
For the beverage sector packaging is used typically in a wide range of packaging materials, with the exception of two sectors (spirits and vermouth, where glass bottles are the packaging of reference).
Areas in which the presence of various types of packaging is greater are wine, beer and mineral water.
In the wine sector, the glass bottle expresses a share of 71.5%, the cellulose polylaminate container 11%, the bag-in-box 9% and the remaining 8.5% is divided between PET and glass containers, PET bottles and kegs for draught distribution.
The glass bottle (recyclable + disposable) accounts for 77% of beer packaging. 7.5% is attributable to cans (mainly aluminum), and 15.5% distributed via tap, which has a growth trend (the restaurant is clearly oriented toward serving draught beer).

The presence of the PET container is significant (79%) for mineral water, followed by the glass bottle (20%), while the remaining 1% concerns cellulosic polylaminate containers.
The important field of soft drinks (in quantitative terms it represents about 2,800 million liters) shows preference for PET (71.5%), while the aluminium can is at 14% and glass 7%; in this case the remaining 8% is attributable to dispensers. Described below is a breakdown of this sector by packaging type, in relation to total beverage production.

Plastic bottles. In first place with a stake of 58%, tending to grow.

Glass bottles. In second place with a share of 30%, substantially stable in recent years. As regards soft drinks, this container type holds the largest market share.

Cellulose polylaminate containers. With a share of 3.8% over the past two or three years, this packaging type has come into direct competition with PET containers.

Metal cans. It is estimated that this type expresses a share of 2.7%, a slight decline over the past two years.

Other types. The remaining 5.5% are in other types of packaging, such as cheerpak, plastic cups, draught distribution, bag-in-box, etc..

Plinio Iascone
Istituto Italiano Imballaggio