YouGov: foreigners in our country spend 2% more than Italians at the supermarket

YouGov conducted the study “Foreigners in Italy”, which for the first time investigated the purchasing behaviour of non-Italian consumers in our country.

Foreign families account for 7,1% of the overall YouGov panel sample; they are younger (50 years is the average age of the person responsible for purchasing), larger (2,6 members) and more frequently have children than the national average.

Preference for discount channels and private labels

Foreign shoppers go grocery shopping less often than Italians (200 times) during the year, but their higher average basket value (23,05 euros) is reflected in higher annual spending on fast-moving consumer goods (4,6 thousand euros). Planning and value for money are the requirements that determine spending: foreigners show a strong preference for discount channels (which account for 21,1% of total spending) and greater attention to promotions, which account for 29,4% of purchases.

In this scenario, private labels are preferred to branded products, while among the categories there is a strong inclination towards beverages, pre-packed fruit and vegetables sold by weight, personal care and pet care. To navigate the range of fast-moving consumer goods, the foreign target group mainly uses loyalty programmes (in 56% of cases), online leaflets (54%) and printed leaflets (50%), as well as personalised offers received after previous purchases (41%).

Attention to ethnic specialities

The foreign families included in the YouGov panel are concentrated mainly in Northern and Central Italy, are larger (households with five members exceed the national average by as much as 58%) and have a high concentration of purchasing decision-makers under 45. The male population slightly outnumbers the female population (52,2% vs 47,8%), and in terms of employment, manual workers, shop assistants and caretakers predominate, although there is also a significant presence of small business owners and retailers.

Foreign families in Italy show a stronger orientation than the population as a whole towards food specialities from other countries: the persistence of traditional eating habits may in fact explain the preference for frankfurters (with a purchasing index above average by 56%) and ethnic specialities (51%) and, in the pre-packed fruit and vegetables sold by weight segment, for exotic fruit (97%), garlic (+47%) and onions (+44%). Strong interest is also recorded in new products, while well-known brands are less appealing, including from the perspective of maintaining brand loyalty.

Sociability

Products linked to sociability account for a significant share: among beverage categories, there is high consumption of energy drinks (+64% compared with the national average), spirits (+38%), beer (+30%) and fruit juices (+22%). Among the segment’s most popular brands are Pfanner (+56%) and Pepsi (+21%), demonstrating the persistence of preferences acquired in countries of origin.

Outdoor entertainment and the desire for barbecues and picnics underpin purchases of crisps (+21%) and mayonnaise (+16%) and favour brands such as Calvé and Wudy (+20%) and McCain (+17%). The search for small pleasures is also reflected in the performance of specialists in frozen or ready-made foods, such as 26X38 (+21%), Buitoni (+15%) and Cameo (+11%), and, as regards consumption outside the home, in the preference for fast food, with McDonald’s leading penetration at 70,7%.

Personal appearance and pet care

These indulgent attitudes contrast with the high prevalence within the target group of certain health problems (diabetes +58%, food intolerances +17%), probably attributable to the so-called nutritional transition, which drives the purchase of products with little sugar (+8%), without sweeteners (+5%) and, above all, with a high content of protein (+47%) and fibre (+8%). For foreigners, self-care primarily means attention to physical appearance. Hair care is particularly important, with purchasing indices for certain products well above average (after-shampoo +45%, shampoo and conditioner +29%, hair dyes +15%).

As regards domestic life, 1 foreigner in 4 states that they spend time in the company of pets. This widespread love is also confirmed by excellent performance for all pet-care brands, with Purina (+37%), Ultima (+35%) and Gourmet (+30%) recording purchasing indices well above average. Among preferred retailers, Arcaplanet stands out (+26%), despite the index for specialised pet stores being below the national average. It should be noted that choosing products that contribute to animal welfare (+11% compared with the national average) is the most significant aspect in terms of sustainability, which otherwise attracts only marginal interest among foreigners.

Comments

“The presence of foreign consumers in Italy is an increasingly important factor in understanding the evolution of purchasing behaviour and market dynamics. This is not a homogeneous segment: country of origin, generation, level of integration and established habits all help define different needs and consumption patterns,” commented Paola Bonassoli, multinational clients cluster lead at YouGov Shopper.

“For industry and distribution, this is a challenge but also an opportunity, because understanding these specific characteristics means being able to read a transforming market more precisely and develop strategies to address increasingly complex demand: in future, diversity will increasingly have to be considered a structural dimension of the Italian market,” stated Andrea Corazzon, Ast & retailer cluster lead at YouGov Shopper.

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.