With the lockdown, Italians have rediscovered the art of cooking, from pasta to pizza to bread. While on the one hand Italian families have found a way to cheer up the quarantine in the kitchen, the increase in sales of some products has led to an increase in wholesale prices and, consequently, that in supermarkets.
Documenting this new trend towards culinary do-it-yourself is the disclosure of wholesale prices carried out by the Chambers of Commerce and elaborated by Unioncamere and the Telematic Merchandise Exchange (BMTI).
According to the results, the flours have seen a increase of 7% in March versus February: +2,4% for semolina and 17,8% on an annual basis, a precious ingredient for handmade pasta. Not least are the eggswhose price has increased of 4,2% compared to February and by 17,7% compared to 2019.
However, the rise in demand for ground flours has, in some way, compensated for the heavy reduction in sales destined for the catering and hospitality sector.
However, this increase in flour is stabilizing as shown by the April data. At the beginning of the quarantine we witnessed a real rush to the supermarkets to be able to fill the pantries at home.
Despite this, attention to the cost of shopping remains a central factor for Italians. This is demonstrated by the sharp increase in wholesale prices of chicken meats, which due to the reduced supply there was an increase of 30% compared to February and 20% over the previous year. On the other hand, the growth for turkey, pork and beef was less marked (respectively by 2,6%, 5,7% and 2,1%).
The effects of the blockade of restaurants and hospitality, with the consequent contraction in the demand for fresh products, emerge instead from the data of national spot milk prices, -14% on a monthly basis for loose cheese, and that of the wholesale prices of long-aged cheeses which saw a reduction of -3,6% on a monthly basis and -17,1% on an annual basis.
These reductions were certainly also determined the uncertainties of exports, only partially offset by sales in large-scale distribution. A substantial drop was also recorded for butter prices, down by 4,1% compared to the month of February.
As regards instead theolive oil, price changes have been fairly stable. Same thing for wines, which saw a drop of 0,2% which, especially in the high quality segment, are negatively affected by the closure of clubs and restaurants, only slightly offset by sales in large-scale distribution.
