Italians Eat 25% Less Fresh Bread

Modern lifestyles with less time to dedicate to food shopping and cooking, and so-called low calorie and long-conservation substitutes have caused the consumption of fresh bread to fall drastically in the past five years. Consumer trends show that the millenary tradition of eating one of the numerous varieties of fresh breads found throughout the Italian regions may be an alimentary habit that risks extinction. There is still some good news, however, for the over 53,000 bread shops in Italy: 96.9% of Italians still claim they prefer the taste of fresh bread over any substitutes, and 72.7% of consumers still buy from bread shops and not supermarkets. In a counter-trend, consumption of organic and traditional recipe breads is actually on the rise.