THE FEDERALIMENTARE CONGRESS IN PARMA: THE FOOD INDUSTRY IS HOLDING UP UNDER THE CRISIS. IN 2008 EXPORTS INCREASED BY 10%. ITALIANS SPEND ON FOOD AND BUY MORE VEGETABLES AND READY-TO-EAT PASTA DISHES.

Food sales hold up under the crisis better than other sectors and the Italians prefer to cut the budget on clothes or travel rather than at the table, says Federalimentare, the Federation of Food Industry in Italy, at the Congress in Parma. In 2008, in fact, despite a slowdown in sales (0.7% less at current prices) and lower production (0.6% less), exports increased by 10%. Turnover was 120 billion euros, with 16.7% from exports and the food industry was second largest in the country. The forecasts for 2009 are less critical than in other areas: if the overall industrial production is expected to decline by 21%, food is estimated at a 3.5% decline.

“The unknowns - said the chairman of Federalimentare Giandomenico Auricchio - cover the four main target markets of our exports - Great Britain, France, USA and Spain which have all greatly suffered from the International crisis.
However, I am sure that if our businesses continue investing in the quality and safety of food and receive aid from government institutions, they will overcome the crisis. “But how much and what do Italians eat? Spending on food, according to a study conducted by Giampaolo Fabris, is not what Italians even consider cutting back on: only 2 Italians in 10 expect to cut their budget on food and beverage, and many even think of increasing food spending. In times of crisis the best guarantee is brand names: over 70% said they prefer brand names.

Data on the first quarter in 2009 confirm: food shopping holds steady (0.1% decrease), and if traditional foods such as pasta (+2.4%), beef and poultry (+2.7%) and fish (+3.6% fresh, +2.7% frozen) are doing well, there is a real boom in ready-to-eat vegetables (+11.6%), confirming an increase of 16.7% in 2008 over 2007. And, in the realm of “ready is beautiful”, according to the Nielsen Consumer Confidence Survey, ready-to-eat pasta courses have increased as much as 47.2% in 2008. The “health-food basket” has increased in fat-free (+24.7%), gluten-free (+17.2%), light (+7.7%), soybean (+4.7%), probiotics (+4.3%), low caloric (+1.4%) and whole foods (+2.2%) products. As for consumer prices of manufactured foods, 2008 registered a +5.8% increase on an annual basis, while the semester September 2008/March 2009 registered a decrease of 4.5%.

The trends that emerged from the Federalimentare Congress also showed positive signs in some union categories. “The food industry - said the General Secretary of the Italian Labor Union and the UILA-UIL, Stefano Mantegazza- is confirmed one of the pillars of our economy. In a difficult International context, there are many signs of vitality and dynamism. It makes you feel good, for example, to know that 80% of small-medium businesses expect a confirmation or an increase in turnover in 2009. There is also optimism about the 2% increase in employment that has been registered in Parma in the food sector in the first quarter of 2009, in contrast with the figures shown in the rest of the country. Regarding the renewal of the National contract - said Mantegazza – I confirm my conviction that Federalimentare together with the Italian Food Workers Unions (FAI, FLAI and UILA) will find solutions for a quick and positive come back”.



Focus – The Minister for Economic Development Claudio Scajola: “Counterfeiting damage amounts to 50 billion euros a year

The food Industry analysts estimate counterfeiting damage of food products at 50 billion euros a year: a huge figure.



“The Minister for Economic Development, Claudio Scajola, announced the government’s intention to intensify the fight against counterfeiting of Italian food products. “Our food products - explained the Minister - have a negative record, but because they are good, they are copied throughout the world. We are intensifying the fight against counterfeiting”.
Scajola explained that this is one of the two points of Government intervention to support the food Industry: a second front is to work with the industry “to have a better rapport in the interest of consumers and collaboration of small enterprises with large-scale distribution. There is a problem of greater collaboration between the large retailers - explained Scajola - producers and consumers. There are those who charge more and those who are not charging anything, we need establish a Memorandum of Understanding. We are working on it, and I hope that we will soon have a good consensus between industry, distribution and consumers”.