Italians appear to have lost their taste for pasta as the clean-eating phenomenon continues, with consumption dropping by 10.5 percent between 2011 and 2016.
New research from Mintel reveals that sales of pasta in Italy has a compound annual growth rte of -2 percent between 2011 and 2015, with sales falling to 908,100 tonnes in 2016.
Whilst Italians still consume the biggest volume of pasta per person globally, even in Italy ‘carbophobia’ has seen 23 percent of Italians admitted to cutting out pasta in order to stay in shape.
“Health concerns over the carbohydrate intake continue to plague sales of pasta, especially in Italy where retail sales have been in constant decline every year since 2009. The rising popularity of protein and the resurgence of low carb diets have made for a challenging environment for pasta, which is being shunned in favour of foods perceived to be healthier or more supportive of weight management efforts.” said Jodie Minotto, Global Food and Drink Analyst at Mintel.
And it’s not just pasta’s home country of Italy that has seen falling sales. Sales of the food have also fallen in the US, where average pasta consumption at retail in 2017 is forecast to reach 2.7 kg, down from 2.8kg in 2015. In Canada, one in five consumers say carbs are the biggest concern and that more than a quarter are interested in a gluten-free option.
“The trend for gluten-free and low carb diets and the vilification of wheat as a contributor to a variety of ailments, including weigh gain. As a result, the pasta category is vastly different to what it was five years ago. Consumer demand for natural, unprocessed foods has also contributed to the rise of organic pasta”, Minotto continued.