Food prices in Italy have risen far faster than overall inflation in recent years, prompting the competition authority to step in. According to Istat data cited by the Antitrust Authority, food prices increased by 24.9 percent between October 2021 and October 2025, almost eight percentage points more than the general consumer price index, which rose by 17.3 percent over the same period.
This widening gap has led the Authority to launch a fact-finding investigation into the role played by large-scale retail chains. The Antitrust has pointed to a growing imbalance along the supply chain, with farmers and producers increasingly squeezed by the bargaining power of large retailers.
In the Authority’s view, the stage at which suppliers negotiate with final distributors is a critical juncture, as it directly affects both producers’ remuneration and the prices ultimately paid by consumers. The investigation will therefore examine how major retail groups exercise their purchasing power, including through non-corporate forms of aggregation such as cooperatives and supermarket networks.
Alongside the inquiry, the Antitrust has opened a public consultation on the issues raised in the investigation. Stakeholders are invited to submit comments and contributions by 31 January.