Penny Italia’s meat department between staffed counter and self-service

The Italian fresh meat market is undergoing, over the course of this 2026, a phase of profound transformation driven by consumers who are increasingly attentive to the balance between the ethical value, quality and economic sustainability of their spending. In this scenario, the discount sector confirms its role as a privileged observatory, capable of anticipating changes in the eating habits of Italian families. Penny Italia stands out in this landscape for its distinctive approach: maintaining a hybrid model that combines, across a significant part of its network, the traditional staffed butchery counter with the efficiency typical of self-service. This strategic choice is not merely a defining feature of the brand, but represents a complex challenge at a time when inflation and changing purchasing power are shifting volumes towards more affordable proteins—such as poultry and pork—to the detriment of beef, which has always been a mainstay of the Italian shopping basket. Today, the store is no longer merely a place of transaction, but a place where the supply chain is brought to life. For Penny, the challenge is entirely aboutqualified value for money: how can it ensure that the 100% Italian product and local provenance are valued without undermining the price positioning that is the brand’s fundamental driver? Through this discussion, we aim to explore how Penny Italia is interpreting these dynamics: from the operational management of the butchery counter to the new principles governing the self-service range, and ultimately its ability to build loyalty among consumers who, more than ever, are looking for concrete answers to their need for quality, transparency and accessibility. With the aim of outlining the sector’s prospects, we analyse how the brand intends to position itself for the future of the fresh meat market over the next two years. We discuss this with Stefano Lugli, junior buyer at Penny Italia. 

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.