Sugar and sweeteners: segmenting the market adds value to the shelf

Product innovation and origin certifications are the levers for adding dynamism to the Italian sugar and sweeteners market, where premium products are the key to creating value.

The sector, in the year ending in January 2026, showed differing trends between the two macro-segments: while sweeteners recorded growth in both volume and value, sugar underwent a significant contraction. In the retail channel (Circana data, total Italy, Hypermarkets+Supermarkets+Lsp+Discount), sweetener sales by volume exceeded 2,4 million kilograms, with an increase of 2,1% compared with the previous year, while total turnover stood at approximately 57,5 million euros, recording growth of 3,4%. This increase in value, slightly higher than that in volumes, suggests an inflationary effect or a greater shift towards products with higher added value. In contrast to sweeteners, the sugar market showed a marked decline. Sales by volume, in fact, fell by 11,7%, reaching approximately 140 million kilograms, while turnover, with a contraction of -15,9%, recorded almost 250,4 million euros.

Trends by geographical area and distribution channel

As regards sweeteners, the geographical distribution of sales by value places the North-West first, with 30,2% of the value share and 36,2% by volume, followed by Central Italy+Sardinia with 11,3% of sales location by value and 10,5% by volume. The South accounts for 6,8% by value and 5,7% by volume, while the North-East holds 19,6% of the market value and 21,1% of its volume. As regards distribution channels, supermarkets remain dominant, accounting for 65,8% of the market share by value and 62,8% by volume; they are followed at a distance by discount stores (13,6% sales location by value and 19,5% by volume), hypermarkets (11,2% by value and 11% by volume) and self-service stores (9,4% by value and 6,7% by volume). The geographical distribution of sugar, on the other hand, sees the South as the most significant area, with 28,9% by value and 31,2% by volume; it is followed by the North-West, which accounts for 28,1% by value and 26,7% by volume, Central Italy+Sardinia, which represents 23,3% of the value and 22,5% of the volume, and the North-East, with a share of 19,7% by value and 19,6% by volume. At distribution-channel level, supermarkets also account for most sales in the sugar segment, both by value (51,7%) and by volume (47,6%). Discount stores are the second most important channel, with the corresponding shares by value and volume as stated above, followed by self-service stores and hypermarkets.

Segment trends

Within the sweeteners market, there are sometimes significant differences between segments. Artificial sweeteners, the most important type in absolute terms, with more than 840.000 kilograms and 33,6 million euros in turnover, show solid growth, with an increase of 5,4% in volumes and 4% in value. The segment of other natural sweeteners, although second in terms of volume at approximately 769.000 kilograms, generates significantly lower turnover, amounting to approximately 7,38 million euros, showing limited growth in volumes (+1%) but a significant increase in value (+13%). Natural syrup sweeteners, on the other hand, are the only segment in decline, with a fall of 3,1% in volumes and 5,6% in value. Finally, stevia is seeing growth in volumes (+1,6%), but a slight decline in value (-0,5%). In this context, the top three brands (Sperlari, Eridania and Valsoia) account for 49,6% by value, while private label holds 27,9%. As for sugar, beet sugar, the leading segment by volume with more than 176 million kilograms and by value with 198,8 million in turnover, suffers the most significant contraction (-12,2% by volume and -17,9% by value), followed by cane sugar (-6,3% by volume and -7,3% by value). The other sugars segment, with a negligible weight in absolute terms, is instead the only one in growth, both in volume and value, each increasing by 6,7%. Here, the top three players (Eridania, Italia Zuccheri, Sadam Zuccherifici) account for 37,8% of the market by value, while Mdd holds 44,5% of the market share.

Read more in DM Magazine March 2026

This article was translated from the original Italian version with the assistance of artificial intelligence. In case of discrepancies, please refer to the original Italian version.