- The consumption of beverages in Italy in 2020 fell overall by 8.4% (-8.4% for non-alcoholic beverages and -8.3% for alcoholic beverages), with important repercussions on a sector that has 3,300 companies. Numbers that are partly explained by the contraction in consumption "away from home" which in 2020 recorded a -35% compared to the previous year: the Ho.Re.Ca sector lost 34.4 billion euros, and the balance between established and discontinued companies it was -13,060. This is what emerged from a Nomisma research on the impact that the pandemic has had on beverage consumption for Assobibe, an association of Confindustria that represents producers of soft drinks.
"Despite the effects of the pandemic, companies have continued to invest in the future, in product and process innovation, rolling up their sleeves and collaborating with the supply chain, from the field to the consumer", underlined Giangiacomo Pierini, president of Assobibe, at the round table attended by the president of Federvini Micaela Pallini, the president of Mineracqua Enrico Zoppas, the president of Assobirra Michele Cason, the president of Fipe Lino Enrico Stoppani, the president of Italgrob Vincenzo Caso, representing a total of 350 thousand companies, for a total turnover of 141.3 billion euros (Source: data processing provided by the Associations), together with Massimiliano Giansanti, president of Confagricoltura. Joining forces and working together for the restart was the hope,as evidenced by a note Assobibe, which the Minister of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies Stefano Patuanelli expressed in his opening greeting, reaffirming the fundamental role of the Mipaaf-Mise axis in support of companies in the agricultural and agro-industrial sector with a view to common development, safeguarding the specificities of the sector, to make the food and beverage supply chain more sustainable and competitive. (HANDLE).to make the food and beverage supply chain more sustainable and competitive. (HANDLE).to make the food and beverage supply chain more sustainable and competitive. (HANDLE).