Out of Italy’s population of 60 million, 23 million Italians are indulging in ice cream this summer, at an estimated 20 servings per person.
Cone, cup or packaged, consumers site their “desire to eat with company” as the main reason to order gelato. Other drivers of increased ice cream consumption include “satisfying an urge” and “cooling off from the summer heat.”
Talk of Italian gelato may bring to mind artisanal flavors made in small shops, but pre-packaged ice cream is becoming increasingly popular as well. The Institute of Italian Gelato (Eurisko/IGI) conducted a survey that revealed 98% of consumers buy both kinds of frozen treats.
Of the 6 out of 10 Italian mothers who buy ice cream for their children every week, 41% say their preference for packaged ice cream has to do with safety and hygiene concerns.
Packaged ice cream is most popular among the under-35 age group whose favorite flavors are chocolate, pistachio and hazelnut.
Regardless of shape, flavor or size, gelato remains the king of summer with estimated sales of over 2 billion Euros a year.
