There has been a "anomalous collapse" in the sales of meat, with decreases of -15 percent for pig sales, -8 percent for beef sales, and -4 percent for sales of white meat. What exactly is going on there?
It is certain that prices will continue to climb, thus Italians are beginning to exercise more restraint in their food purchases. Precisely for this reason, people cut down on or completely forego consuming more costly items such as high-quality meat. This was announced by Luigi Frascà , who is the president of Assomacellai Confesercenti. He said that there has been a "anomalous decline" in the consumption of beef during the last several months. What is occurring, and what do you anticipate will occur, in the industry if the government does not intervene?
Summer 2022: pork sales -15% and beef -8%
"We know that summer is not the best time of year for meat consumption, but we did not expect a decline as significant as the current one," declared Luigi Frascà , president of Assomacellai Confesercenti, highlighting a "anomalous collapse" in sales. of -15 percent pork consumption compared to the values of the same period of 2021, -8 percent for beef, and -4 percent for white meat.
"the major items offered at butcher shops are those that are characteristic of the summer," says Frascà . "These include raw meats, beaten meats, tartare, Albese, and chicken breast." "Butchers that create take-away food are also resilient, where the drop in sales is smaller than the traditional butchers, since they offer ready-to-eat items, which are more convenient in the summer. Even in these recent years, as Frascà points out, there has been a decrease in the number of high-priced things being sold. As a result of the searing heat this summer, there was also a decline in sales of roasted meats.
Because Italians are eating less and less meat
At the heart of this decrease in the consumption of meat by Italians is, beyond a reasonable doubt, "the economic uncertainty," as stated by the president of the Assomacellai Confesercenti, which favors less valuable cuts and does not assist a sector that has been in a state of crisis for years and years. The exhibitors are worn out because they are forced to battle not only against the decrease in sales but also against the ongoing growth in the expenses of raw materials and services. Both of these factors have contributed to the exhibitors' exhaustion. All of this is "strangling our merchants, who find themselves confronting progressively smaller margins." According to Luigi Frascà , the president of Assomacellai Confesercenti, "at this pace, if we do not engage as soon as feasible with particular help, the sector risks losing enterprises and jobs."
In point of fact, the administration is already investigating potential solutions to the issue, one of which involves lowering the value-added tax on some food items. In particular, there has been discussion on the potential elimination of value-added tax on foods like pasta and bread, as well as a reduction in the tax rate on meat and fish from 10 percent to 5 percent. In addition to helping families, this policy may also play a role in driving up sales, which would be beneficial to companies operating in the food industry.