Italian shopping carts are turning increasingly green as the consumption of plant-based products continues to grow. In 2024, more than 15 million households purchased plant-based items, pushing overall penetration to 59.3%. The data, collected by YouGov Shopper, confirms the steady rise of this sector.
All key indicators point upward: overall penetration accelerated by 2.2 percentage points, and purchase frequency rose by 9.6%, influencing average spending (+1.8%). The only figure trending downward was the average purchase per act (-7.1%), reflecting a broader shift in Italian shopping habits toward smaller, more frequent trips to the supermarket.
Who are the main consumers of plant-based products? Data on plant-based gastronomy (fresh and frozen) shows higher adoption in Northern Italy, particularly among middle-to-upper socioeconomic groups, individuals over 45, and child-free households. More than 60% of plant-based shoppers are single-person or two-person households.
Motivations behind this shift vary: nearly 3 million Italians now identify as vegetarian (3.7% of the population, or 2.1 million people) or vegan (1.5%, around 855,000 people). For many—especially women (55%) and residents of the North (52%)—the primary driver is lifestyle (32%), closely followed by personal health (31%). Ethical concerns intertwine with individual well-being, making plant-based choices both a personal and collective statement.