The mineral water market continues to grow in Italy and in the first five months of 2022 sales in the large-scale retail trade show a + 6.4%. The export trend is much better, which in the first quarter recorded a growth of one third. Purchasing behavior is weighed down by inflation and the increase in the cost of transport and raw materials. Not surprisingly, almost 1 in 3 consumers choose mineral water to buy for domestic consumption based on the presence of offers and promotions. This is one of the ideas that emerges from a survey by Mineral Water Monitor, the Nomisma observatory dedicated to the mineral water sector. The market is leaving behind the slowdown (-3.7%) in volumes in 2020, while in 2021 the consumption of bottled water in restaurants and bars began to regain share and the market started to grow again, exceeding overall the 136 million hectoliters, + 4.9% on 2020.
What is worrying is the evolution of the geopolitical situation and inflation. To this must be added the downward consumption forecasts of households in relation to spending on food and beverages, with the heaviest reductions affecting consumption outside the home. This decline will be evident especially in the autumn months when the driving effect of holidays and tourism for away from home consumption ends. such as vitamins and minerals, but also hyaluronic acid and herbal and fruit extracts.
In the first months of 2022, these products showed growth in large-scale distribution of over + 20% in value compared to 2022 (source: NielsenIQ). «The new consumption trends in the sector certainly include water enriched with vitamins and minerals. Although they still represent a niche, less than 1% of sales by value of bottled water, functional waters continue to record double-digit growth rates – explains Emanuele Di Faustino, senior project manager at Nomisma -. At the moment only 4% of Italians consume them, but the consumer base is destined to expand in the future with 13% declaring that they would like to try functional waters in the coming months. It is mainly women, over 40 and with medium-high spending power who have the greatest interest in this type of water ».
On the export front there is a strong expansion and in the first quarter of this year there is a strong recovery with a + 33% compared to the same period of 2021. Exports to the USA are in a strong dusting (+ 46% in the first quarter 2022), a market where Italy holds a market share of 36%, thanks above all to the export of sparkling mineral water (89% of total Italian exports in value), and to the United Kingdom (+ 77%). Germany (+ 12%) and Switzerland (+ 23%) also did well, while exports to France were stationary. The latter market, in addition to representing the second destination for sales of Italian waters beyond national borders, is – like wine – our main competitors on international markets.