Apples, oranges and bananas among the fruits; potatoes, tomatoes, courgettes and carrots among the vegetables: these are the most "loved" fruit and vegetables by Italians which, according to the Monitor 2018 by Agroter, they buy and consume them practically every day. More than 90% of them, says the research conducted on a significant sample of 1.000 people segmented by gender, age group and geographical area, and presented at an event promoted in Milan by Mark Up and ItaliaFruit News.
An audience of buyers interviewed to find out what their perception of the beauty of fruit and vegetables is and to what extent aesthetics affect their choices. And here the data revealed a first surprise. Why only about a third of the total (32%) responded that they "strongly or fairly agree" with the slogan “the most beautiful fruit is also the best one”. And in this sense, more women distance themselves from this assumption. While almost 46%, overall, said the first thing they think about is freshness. And over 21% even see the beauty in a product with slight flaws, but with a more natural look.
The size of the individual fruits is not a lever of choice, while purchases can be induced by the landscapes in which the fruits are grown. It is the case of Trentino apple orchards and the lemon terraces of the Amalfi Coast, which for over 90% of the interviewees represent a plus because they "improve our panoramas". In other words, people buy first with their head, or with their heart, and then with their eyes.
“The future of Italian fruit and vegetables lies in the 'Bbf', the 'Beautiful and well made' products that drive our exports because they are increasingly appreciated throughout the world – he said Robert Della Casa, professor of agro-food marketing at the University of Bologna and editor of the Report together with Raffaella Quadretti and Francesco Ricchieri – Fruit and vegetable companies need to recover profitability, focusing on new commercial strategies capable of combining beauty, also important for communication, with the good of business ethics, social responsibility and fair trade, capable of remunerating producers fairly. All characteristics that are increasingly appreciated by the consumer”.
In a general context characterized by slightly recovering consumption, after years of stagnation, e new trends of attention for exotic, ethnic, organic products and with a high service content, the research also shed light on the importance of Millennials (about 11 million born between 1980 and 2000) as drivers of a 4.0 renaissance of Italian fruit and vegetables. Young buyers who are not satisfied with appearances and who in the vast majority of cases (81% according to Nielsen surveys) are willing to pay a premium for products with health benefits.
An age range to be monitored more carefully, that of Millennials, given that according to Eurispes by 2020 it will represent a good portion of the population of Europe and the United States.
The investigation of Agroter it also investigated consumers' preferred purchasing channels. And here, without too many surprises, 45% indicated that they prefer to go to the farmer, almost 22% to the greengrocer and 16% to the market. Confirming that the traditional channel is still seen as the one that gives the most guarantees of taste. While retail sees supermarkets with less than 15% of preferences, discounters with just 1,3%.
On the other hand, large-scale retail trade, which remains reliable in any case, has raised another surprise: the fruit and vegetable department is the most appreciated overall with over 29% of the votes, followed by the beauty department par excellence, the perfumery department, with almost 24%, and the bakery with 16%. Even if for women and millennials the preferences for fruit and vegetables and perfumery are reversed.
At the event, which attracted about 800 operators in the sectorVittorio Sgarbi also spoke. The art critic, in the context of his utterances, spoke of beauty and fruit and vegetables ranging from Ancient Rome to contemporary painters, from the excavations of Herculaneum to the portraits of Arcimboldo. Passing through that "genius" of Caravaggio who with his works (from the Basket of fruit to the Supper at Emmaus) managed to speak of man through still life.
