The Italian berry market (excluding strawberries) continues to grow, reaching a retail turnover of over 232 million euros in 2024.
Italian household spending on the berry category has grown by 14.9% over 12 months, with an increase of more than 30 million euros compared to 202 million in 2023.
This increase is in line with previous years’ growth and has nearly doubled the value over the past five years.
Unlike in 2023, when volumes grew at a significantly lower rate than value, 2024 saw a 15.4% increase in quantities, rising from 14.2 thousand tons to over 16.4 thousand tons, equivalent to more than 315 tons per week.
Over the past five years, quantity growth has reached 62%, a more moderate increase than revenue due to a slowdown in the 2022-2023 period.
Price dynamics saw a slight decline in 2024: the average value decreased from €14.22/kg to €14.15/kg (-0.5%).
Over a third of Italian households buy berries
Among Italy’s 26.1 million households, penetration (the percentage of households purchasing berries at least once a year) stands at 34.3% (+2.1 percentage points compared to the previous period). The total number of households purchasing berries has reached 9.0 million (+8.8%), an increase of 724,000 households compared to 2023.
Purchase behavior
Italian households purchase berries 7.02 times a year (+7.1% compared to the previous period).
While purchase frequency is increasing, the average quantity bought per occasion has declined slightly, reaching 260 grams in 2024 (-0.9%).
70.4% of Italian berry-buying households make repeat purchases, meaning they buy more than once a year. This indicator has risen compared to 2023, when it stood at 68.7%.
Overall, Italian households spent €25.93 on berries in 2024, continuing a steady upward trend over the past five years.
In terms of quantity, the total annual purchase averages 1.83 kg (+6.1% compared to 2023).
The average spending per berry purchase is €3.70 (-1.4% compared to the previous period).
Category composition
The category mix
A few years ago, blueberries accounted for less than a third of the total berries purchased. However, their share has gradually increased, now exceeding 75%.
In terms of value, blueberries represent over 70% of the berry category.
Are quantity and prices correlated?
The berry category has experienced consistent growth in purchased quantities over the past five years. However, this positive trend is only weakly linked to price fluctuations, which have followed different dynamics.
Despite a relatively low correlation, there is a general positive trend: sales have increased even as prices have followed an upward trajectory.
The YouGov panel survey is conducted using the HomeScan methodology, which includes optical scanning of EAN codes and the integration of key purchasing data (channel, store, receipt details, specific questions for the main buyer). The survey is conducted continuously, allowing for long-term monitoring of consumer behavior and providing a comprehensive interpretation of Italian household purchasing habits.
