Market changes, but wine remains “the most appreciated by Italians” in the last 25 years

“Trenta anni di vita quotidiana: tendenze e trasformazioni nella società italiana” - “Thirty years of everyday life: trends and transformations in Italian society” is the title of a publication by Istat which captures the changes affecting citizens and the country over this period of time. And, while there have been many new developments, just think of the technological revolution, this evolution has also involved relationships among citizens, their eating habits, and the consumption of alcoholic beverages. Over the past 25 years, among the population aged 14 and over, explained Istat, that despite the near stability of overall annual alcohol consumption (which declined from 70.1% of consumers in 1998 to 68.7% in 2023), there has been, on the one hand, a reduction in daily consumption (from 33.3% to 19%) and, on the other hand, an increase in occasional drinking (from 37.3% to 49.8%) and consumption outside mealtimes (from 23.8% to 33.4%). Obviously, tastes also change over 25 years. Istat observed an increase in beer consumption, which in 2023 involves 52.7% of the population (+5.5% compared to 1998), and especially in spirits, which rose from 39.4% in 1998 to just under 50% in 2023. Wine, however, remains the leading beverage, maintaining a stable “share”: it stood at 56.9% in 2008, a figure identical to that of 2023.
Trends show a decline recorded between 1998 and 2014, with the share of Italians consuming wine falling from 56.9% to 52%, but in subsequent years consumption gradually returned to levels close to those recorded at the start of the survey period. Changes in the prevalence of different types of alcoholic beverages have been particularly influenced by women, whose consumption increased both for spirits (+14.3% over twenty-five years, compared with +6.1% for men) and for beer (+6.7%, higher than the +4% recorded for men). Overall, consumption has declined among men, who over a quarter of a century went from 83% to 79.5%, while among women consumption levels appear stable.
But, the pace of modern society has also, at least in part, changed the relationship of Italians with food and traditional meals. In 2023, 72.9% of Italians reported that they eat lunch at home on weekdays (down from 84.5% in 1993), and lunch remains the main meal for the majority of the population (63.3%, compared with 78.2% in 1993). Istat notes that “although the most recent data shows the persistence of habits rooted in tradition in the organization of meals, the last thirty years, due to lifestyles influenced by changes in the labor market and the need to balance domestic and working life, have inevitably led to significant changes in eating habits”. Dinner has thus become the main meal for 23.6% of the population (up from 17.3% in 1993), as the share of those who identify breakfast as the No. 1 meal has increased (from 3.1% to 12.5%). At the same time, however, the habit of skipping breakfast has increased, rising from 7.2% in 1996 to 9.3% in 2023. Since the 1990s, there has been a decline in milk consumption at breakfast, falling from 57.2% to 44.3%, with even more pronounced decreases among children aged 3-10, for whom the share drops significantly from 79.7% to 53.4%. According to Istat, this trend is accompanied by a diversification of eating habits: the share of those who, while not consuming milk, still have breakfast with other foods such as biscuits, melba toasts, or brioche, together (or not) with beverages like tea or coffee, has increased (from 16.6% to 27.3%). Consumption of alternative breakfasts based on yogurt, cereals, or fruit juices has also “soared” (from 2.8% to 8.5%), particularly popular among children aged 3-5 years (rising from 4.8% in 1996 to 18.9% in 2023). Meanwhile, the proportion of adults who consume only tea or coffee without food declined from 14.9% to 9.9% over the period 1996-2023.
The chapter on fruit and vegetables, two pillars of the Mediterranean diet, shows that 78.5% of the population consumes at least one portion of fruit, vegetables, or greens per day, a declining trend over the last twenty years (it stood at 84.4% in 2003), especially from 2016 onward. Daily consumption of vegetables, fruit, and greens is more widespread among women, and age-based analysis highlights higher consumption levels among children aged 3-10 (72.6%), which then decline in the 11-24 age group (68.1%) before increasing again with age, reaching particularly high levels, 90%, among those over 74. However, daily consumption of vegetables, greens, and fruit remains far from the recommended four to five portions: in 2023, only 17.1% of the population reported following this “virtuous” habit. On average, 2.5 portions per day are consumed, about half the recommended amount. And here, Italians can definitely do better.