In 2024, a year marked by a notable increase in organic consumption in Italy, the organized distribution sector played its part by adopting sales strategies focused on greater transparency, price accessibility, and enhanced communication efforts. These insights emerged during the webinar “Retail and the Value of Organic” organized by GreenPlanet, which featured contributions from Hervé Martin, Head of Organic at Carrefour Italia; Fabio Brescacin, President of NaturaSì; and Fabrizio Piva, Manager at Coop G. Bellini, Head of Development and Sustainability, as well as a GreenPlanet columnist.
The webinar, moderated by GreenPlanet coordinator Chiara Brandi, opened with an analysis of the rebound in organic product consumption. Brandi invited Hervé Martin to outline Carrefour strategies for promoting organic products. Martin highlighted the strategic importance of the organic sector for the retail giant, stating that it is “undoubtedly one of the pillars of our strategy in Italy. Our approach centers on themes such as health and well-being, which are integral to our Act for Food program. This initiative promotes quality and taste at accessible prices while ensuring safety, sustainability, and fair remuneration for producers”.
Fabio Brescacin, President of NaturaSì, highlighted the narrowing price gap between conventional and organic products, which has driven the 2024 consumption recovery. He explained: “We’ve seen double- digit growth in our stores. After the post-Covid consumption crisis, we made an effort to make organic products more affordable. Our Sì Essenziali initiative broke a psychological barrier. Previously, organic stores were seen as exclusive boutiques, but more accessible prices have led to the encouraging recovery in consumption we now observe weekly”.
Price accessibility, however, is not the only driver behind the growing interest in organic products. Brescacin observed: “There is also a growing recognition of quality. More and more consumers are praising the taste and quality of organic products. Consumption is increasingly driven not just by health considerations but by the perceived quality of these goods”.
Fabrizio Piva underscored the importance of fair pricing for producers and addressing the distribution of margins along the supply chain. He remarked: “Italian producers have made significant efforts to become more efficient, but is the distribution process equally efficient? The production sector risks losing motivation if organic consumption does not grow further, supported by investments from large-scale retail chains and beyond. Current levels remain too low”.
Cristina Latessa
