Altroconsumo: discounters continue to dominate the value-for-money rankings even in 2026

annualAltroconsumo’s annual survey on the value for money offered by supermarkets, hypermarkets and discounters, shopping at certain discounters or combining shopping channels allows consumers to save more on their grocery bill.

A saving of 3.790 euros a year

Italy’s largest independent consumer organisation, part of Euroconsumers, found that by carefully choosing the retailer and the cheapest products, a family of four can save up to 3.790 euros a year, against estimated total spending of 9.450 euros, or up to 40%. An encouraging figure, given that prices nevertheless remain high, but are rising at a slower pace than in the past: +1% in February–March 2026 compared with +2% recorded in 2025. At the time of the survey, moreover, there were not yet any apparent effects linked to increases in oil and energy prices resulting from the conflict in Iran. The saving is also significant for couples, up to 3.355 euros (on 8.360 euros of average annual spending), and for single people, up to 2.305 euros (on 5.740 euros).

The survey

The survey was conducted between 16 February and 13 March 2026 and covered 1.158 outlets in 67 Italian cities, approximately 64% of provincial capitals. A total of 1,5 million priceswere recorded, relating to 124 product categories, including food, household and personal care products, and pet food. The analysis is based on four baskets: branded products, cheapest products, retailer-branded products and mixed shopping, with the aim of providing a complete picture of the price positioning of the main large-scale retail chains.

Now in its 37th edition, the survey confirms its status as a reference tool for anyone wishing to save on grocery shopping, an expense that accounts for up to 19% of the household budget. The aim is to guide consumers towards the most convenient outlet through a detailed analysis of the products most frequently purchased according to Istat, selected to ensure national representativeness.

Price rises at supermarkets are slowing

Between February and March 2026 prices rose by an average of1% compared with +2% recorded in 2025. Inflationary pressures have eased, but prices remain high and international tensions could still affect the cost of grocery shopping.

The most convenient retailer

The most convenient chain overall, according to the Altroconsumo survey, is Eurospin which enables spending to be cut by almost 40% compared with the national average. A family of four, whose average annual spending is 9.450 euros, can save up to 3.790 euros, by choosing the cheapest products available on the shelves.

Opting for a basket made up exclusively of retailer-branded products, the saving remains considerable: Spazio Conad offers a reduction of up to 3.305 euros. When buying a mix of branded products, private-label products and economy items – the so-called mixed shopping basket – the saving depends on the distribution channel chosen: by choosing the most convenient chains, Eurospin and In’s Discount the saving can reach 2.790 euros.

The advantage is considerably reduced, however, when the same products are bought in a hypermarket or traditional supermarket: even in the best-case scenario, with Dok, the saving is limited to 245 euros. Finally, those who prefer branded products can achieve a maximum saving of 420 euros by shopping at Ipercoop and Spazio Conad.

Shopping with the cheapest products

Eurospin is once again the most convenient chain for shopping with the cheapest products, according to the survey. Discounters are consolidating their advantage, improving further compared with 2025. The first traditional retailer is Ipercoop, with prices 17% higher than those at Eurospin; Carrefour Market, in last place, records prices 35%.

Mixed shopping

The scenario that best reflects Italians’ shopping habits is that of mixed shopping, consisting of branded products, private-label products and entry-level items. Among discounters, the lead is shared by Eurospin and In’s, which allow savings of around 16% compared with the most expensive retailer in the category, Todis. Second and third place on the podium are occupied respectively by Lidl and Aldi. Among supermarkets and hypermarkets, meanwhile, the best result is that of Dok which makes its debut at the top of the rankings, allowing shoppers to spend around 10% less than at Carrefour Market. Close behind are Coop, Famila Superstore and Famila.

Spazio Conad leads for private labels

In the basket of retailer-branded products first place goes to Spazio Conad. Its economic advantage over the least convenient retailer, Eurosparreaches 19%, confirming that private labels are one of the main saving opportunities for families. The marked improvement by Esselungashould also be highlighted, while Carrefour, which in 2025 occupied first place, has become less competitive.

Branded products: Ipercoop and Spazio Conad lead the way

As regards branded products, the rankings confirm a market characterised by smaller price differences than those found for other types of basket. First place is taken by Ipercoop and Spazio Conad, followed by Famila and Esselunga, already among the leading retailers in the previous edition. In this category, the maximum saving margin reaches 7%, demonstrating greater price uniformity among retailers.

Combining shopping channels to save money

An effective shopping strategy for consumers may involve combining several channels: the cheapest discounters in the survey for fast-moving consumer goods and household cleaning products, private labels for everyday-use products, and branded products for preferred categories or those available on promotion.

The survey also identifies the individual outlets where branded products can be bought at the most convenient prices in the 67 cities monitored. First place among individual outlets goes to Mega in Treviso, followed by two Coop outlets in Lucca and Iperal in Cinisello Balsamo (Milan). Rossetto, despite losing its long-standing leadership, remains competitive, with four outlets in the top ten across Veneto and Lombardy. Also standing out among the top ten – as the new entry of 2026 – are other Tuscan stores, in addition to those in Lucca: Coop and Ipercoop, as well as Esselunga, in Pistoia, Arezzo, Florence, Pisa and Prato. In central and southern Italy, the leading outlet is Spazio Conad in Cavallino (Lecce), followed by the one in Taranto and Ipercoop in Foggia. The last two places are occupied by Carrefour Market outlets in Bologna and Genoa, and a Despar outlet in Cagliari.

The cities where shoppers save the most

In Tuscany the most convenient cities are concentrated: Pistoia, Lucca, Florence and Prato spend an average of around 6.900 euros a year, followed by Mantua and other cities in Veneto and Tuscany. At the other end of the scale, Genoa, Sassari, Aosta and Teramo exceed 7.700 euros a year. Milan is the city where choosing the right supermarket saves the most, up to 1.390 euros a year (18% of spending). This is followed by Bologna, Treviso, Reggio Emilia and Venice, with an additional advantage of over 1.100 euros a year. In southern Italy competition is more limited: in Potenza, Reggio Calabria, Cosenza, Caserta and Catanzaro the differences recorded by the survey fall to just a few dozen euros a year, also because there are fewer outlets and, in some cases, because access for the survey was not possible.

The map of the most convenient grocery shopping

The North-East is confirmed as the most convenient area for grocery shopping. In central Italy, Tuscanystands out, while in the south Basilicatahas improved, joining Sicily among the relatively more convenient areas. Families in Veneto and Trentino-Alto Adige spend an average of 13% less over the course of a year than those in Aosta Valley and Lazio.

In Calabria and Campania supermarket shopping accounts for around 19% of the household budget, while in Sicily, Molise and Apulia it is 18% and in Basilicata it is 17%, reflecting generally lower average income levels. By contrast, in Trentino-Alto Adige the same expense accounts for around 10%, in Lombardy for11% and in Veneto and Emilia-Romagna for 12%, thanks to higher average incomes and greater convenience at outlets. The difference between the lowest and highest shares is 9 percentage points: this means that, for families in Calabria and Campania, food shopping accounts for approximately 90% more of the budget than it does for families in Trentino-Alto Adige.

The saving from entry-level products, private labels and slower price increases

Value for money in large-scale retail is changing. The discount sector continues to dominate the entry-level pricesegment, but competition is becoming increasingly complex and is also being fought on the ground of retailer brands and retailers’ ability to offer a competitive mix of products and prices.

The “supermarketisation” of discounters continues: retailers in this channel have progressively broadened their range, drawing closer to traditional supermarkets in their assortment and offering, but retain a clear advantage on the cheapest products. In the Altroconsumo rankings, discounters occupy all the top positions for the basket of cheapest products, while the first traditional retailer, Ipercoop, reaches an index of 117. It is therefore becoming increasingly difficult for supermarkets and hypermarkets to compete on the lowest-price front. Some traditional chains are trying to cover this segment with dedicated lines, such as Esselunga Smart, designed to compete with discounter offerings: a phenomenon that is still too limited to have a significant impact on the rankings for the cheapest products. For now, therefore, entry-level pricing remains firmly in the hands of discounters.

But value for money is not limited to discounters. A second area of competition is that of the retailer brand, which is no longer merely a cheaper alternative to industrial brands, but a genuine strategic lever for retailers. The mainstream MDDs have become an increasingly important area of comparison: the survey shows the strong competitiveness of Spazio Conad, Famila and Esselunga, in a market where retailer brands continue to grow and have reached record shares.

Completing the picture is the slowdown in price growthBetween March 2025 and March 2026 prices are still rising, but at a slower pace than in previous years, confirming a progressive easing of inflationary pressure on the grocery basket.

The picture that emerges is therefore of an increasingly attentive consumer and competition shifting from simply “where is it cheapest?” to “how to build the most convenient basket”: discounters for entry-level products, private labels for a balance between quality and value for money, and comparison between retailers and outlets to maximise savings.

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.