Spending has always been one of the items that weigh heavily on Italians’ portfolios. In recent months, the high general inflation has caused a surge in the prices of goods and services: according to Istat data, there is an increase in the inflation rate of 8.4%. Such a high increase had not been recorded since December 1985 (when it was equal to + 8.8%). Limiting the examination to only the ” shopping cart ” it is observed that the inflation rate is equal to 9.7%; an increase that has not been seen since June 1984. This is what emerges from the annual Altroconsumo survey, aimed at identifying the most convenient brands in our country and identifying the cheapest points of sale in the various cities. The data examined, the consumer association said, come from the analysis conducted between 7 March and 1 April 2022 of a sample of over 1.6 million prices in 1,171 stores in 67 Italian cities, to estimate the cheaper signs among hypermarkets, supermarkets and discount stores.
How much less can a family spend thanks to these surveys? A couple with two children can save up to 3,350 euros per year compared to what they spend on average (8,550 euros according to Istat), by buying the cheapest products ever in the cheapest discount stores in the investigation (Aldi and Eurospin). The different categories of products examined by Altroconsumo are 126, specifically food, home and personal care products, and pet food. If we compare the prices of the products present both in this survey (survey in March 2022) and in last year’s survey (May 2021), it emerges that the prices of supermarkets and hypermarkets are growing by only 1%, while discount stores these are the points of sale that most of all have increased the prices of their products (+ 5.2% on average) while remaining cheaper for economic spending. Within discounters, there was also a 2% decline in the number of products on offer. The super and hyper answer to the discount is represented by private labels, that is the products that carry the supermarket logo, also called commercial or distributor brands, and which generally have a lower price than branded products. They currently cover 20% of total sales, but by 2030 they will be close to 25%, according to forecasts.
First of all, Altroconsumo evaluated the convenience of the signs according to the type of shopping, drawing up different rankings: one for mixed shopping, one for shopping with the cheapest products on the shelf, one with branded products, one for products private label. At the top of the ranking for mixed shopping, we find Famila Superstore and Dok as the cheapest supermarket and hypermarket brands. On the other hand, Carrefour and Bennet are at the bottom of the ranking, as they are 11-12% more expensive. As regards discount stores, a separate table has been compiled, since in this distribution channel there is no assortment of branded products comparable to that of hyper and super. In first place, Eurospin, where you save up to 16% compared to the most expensive discount, which once again this year is confirmed to be Todis. In the first 7 places in the ranking of the cheapest shopping in absolute, there are only discount stores, underlines the consumer association. At the top Aldi and Eurospin, this year on equal merit and whose prices are 34% lower than the last classified brand, Carrefour Market. Behind the discounters we find the Esselunga Superstore and Esselunga supermarkets, with prices on average 9 and 12% higher than those of the discounters in the lead. Many Italians do not want to deprive themselves of branded products, but it is more difficult to save by preferring only this type of expense: according to the ranking for branded products, Esselunga allows it, in fact it is possible to save up to 9% compared to the expensive Carrefour Market, in the last place.
Finally, as regards commercial brand products, from the fifth position in 2021 Carrefour rises to the first in the ranking of 2022, thus subtracting the place from Conad. Instead, the least economical are Bennet, Eurospar and Esselunga: they are in fact more expensive respectively by 19%, 18% and 16% compared to Carrefour ones. From the results of Altroconsumo it emerges that, locally, Parma is the city where it is possible to save the most (18%, which is equivalent to 1,410 euros a year), choosing the cheapest point of sale between super and hyper visited ( Esselunga Superstore) instead of the saltier one (Sigma). You can save a lot by choosing the cheapest store also in other cities of Northern Italy such as Venice, Bologna, Ravenna and Vicenza. On the contrary, in Teramo, Taranto and Potenza, the maximum possible saving ranges between 145 and 220 euros (2-3%). Furthermore, the Center-South is also the area of the country where people spend the most for shopping at the supermarkets and hypermarkets visited. However, there are great differences between North and Center-South, to the detriment of the latter, even if there have been some changes compared to 2021. Until last year, 70% of the top 30 cheapest stores were located in the Triveneto, now the percentage has dropped to 40%. The first shops in the Center-South already appear in the ranking at the fourteenth and fifteenth positions (in 2021 it was necessary to wait for the fortieth): these are Coop-Fi in Sesto Fiorentino and Spesa 365 in Bari. The cheapest point of sale among those visited remains Emisfero of Vicenza, followed by Mega of Treviso and Esselunga of Mantua. The most expensive supermarket in the investigation, on the other hand, is Sigma in Ravenna, followed by Coop in Venice and Sigma in Parma.
During the survey, important differences in the price of some items were found between the different points of sale. The prices of the same product can therefore vary a lot even in the same city depending on the store, for example the Chante Clair Liquid Laundry Detergent (35 washes) in Milan records a price difference of 173% between the Ipercoop stores in Piazza Lodi (2.75 euros) and Pam di Viale Sabotino (7.50 euros). Also in Rome, Caffè Splendid Espresso Bar (500 g) costs 2.32 euros in the Doc in Via Torresina and 5.89 euros in the Tigre in via Montebuono and viale Liegi, recording a variation of 154%. In Naples, the Garnier Fructis Shampoo for oily hair (250 ml) costs 1.29 euros at Conad in via Roma and via Consalvo or Conad Superstore in piazza Madonna dell’Arco; instead, we find it for 2.69 euros at the Decò Maxistore in via Provinciale Botteghelle. Finally, in Palermo there is a 100% difference between the confection of Findus cod sticks (450 g) purchased in Conad Superstore in via Villagrazia (2.79 euros) against those in Spazio Conad in via Giuseppe Lanza di Scalea (5, 59 euros).