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Are we ready for a future without chocolate? The answer (perhaps) lies in carob
Chocolate - a universal symbol of comfort, pleasure and celebration - is about to become a luxury good [we have been saying this for years]. This is not a provocation: it is a snapshot of a market on the alert, overwhelmed by unprecedented price increases. In 2024, the cost of cocoa went up 300% wholesale. And the reasons go far beyond the law of supply and demand.
Plantations in West Africa, where most of the world's cocoa comes from, are increasingly suffering from climate change. High temperatures, erratic rainfall and increasingly difficult biodiversity management are putting the very survival of cacao trees at risk. To this is added an even more worrying phenomenon: some farmers in Ghana are abandoning cocoa to engage in illegal gold mining, a more profitable and immediate activity. The result is a hole in the market: a global shortage of about 500,000 tonnes of cocoa in 2024. A deep crack, which has prompted several companies to ask: can we imagine a future without chocolate - or, rather, without cocoa?
Read more in Il Gambero Rosso
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Gambero Rosso: the best spaghetti in Italy
Gambero Rosso did a taste test on 39 samples of spaghetti bought in supermarkets in Rome.
The blind tasting test was conducted by Maria Antonia Argenio, head of quality control at the Campania-based Graziano pasta factory in Monocalzati (AV), and two chefs, Giulia Mauro (Passepartout restaurant, Rome) and Jones Bargoni, assisted by two people from the Gambero Rosso editorial staff: Mara Nocilla and Eugenio Marini.
The cooking took place in unsalted water, respecting the timing indicated on the packaging, and the tasting was also done without salt and oil. As this was a tasting test, the tasters took into account evaluation criteria such as appearance, flavour, aromatic profile and consistency.
First: Garofalo then Todis (discount) then Voiello (Barilla), La Molisana, Esselunga, Granoro, Lidl, De Cecco, Consilia and PAM.
The only drawback: couldn't the list of the 39 samples taken into consideration be published?
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Coin saved by the Italian state
Corriere della Sera 23 April 2025.
This, for me, is a political operation, which does not take into account the reality of the facts:
department stores are like dinosaurs, on the verge of extinction,
due to e-commerce and the cost of facilities (too high rents, among other factors).
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US retail sales recover in March but uncertainty grows over tariffs
Many consumers anticipated purchases of durable goods such as household appliances and clothing, fearing price increases.
The monitoring shows that 'core' sales (excluding restaurants, cars and fuel) rose by 0.4 % month-on-month and 5.07 % year-on-year. The most dynamic sectors in March were digital products ( 27.6% year-on-year), sport, hobby and book shops ( 6.6%) and department stores ( 7.6%). By contrast, sales of household appliances and personal care products declined slightly.
In Q1 2025, total retail sales grew by 4.52% annually, while core sales rose by 4.96%. However, the NRF points out that the economic uncertainty generated by duties could dampen consumer confidence, causing consumers to save more than spend.
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Italy with the US to oppose ‘discriminatory’ technology taxes: a bad signal to Europe and a favour to Amazon
Italy applies a 3 per cent levy on Internet transaction revenues for digital companies with a turnover of at least €750 million ($853.35 million), which is worth less than €500 million in revenue to the state each year.
"We agreed that a non-discriminatory environment in terms of taxation of digital services is necessary to allow investment by cutting-edge technology companies," Rome and Washington ... Reuters
But Europe's weak point is the Irish tax haven, which, as of September 2024, has a tax revenue surplus of €8.6 billion from multinationals and Meloni should, in my opinion, have concerted on this sensitive subject with her European partners (also because big tech regulations also have other implications concerning, possible e-commerce dumping by Chinese companies, privacy, etc.).
Updated 22 April 2025
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The best tuna according to Altroconsumo
The best product - according to the Altroconsumo test - is Riomare's pole-fished tuna in olive oil with a rating of 74/100.
In second place, with 73/100, is Angelo Parodi's tuna steak in olive oil, followed by AsdoMar's whole tuna steak in olive oil and Coop Fior Fiore's yellowfin tuna fillets, both with 72/100.
The recommendation for the best buy, which indicates the reference with the best quality/price ratio, goes to tuna fillets in olive oil from Ondina, Eurospin's seafood brand.
Is the presence of a discount chain a bit surprising? I must say that, in tasting, Lidl products do not disfigure. Quite the contrary. And Eurospin has made great strides on the road to quality.
The sector is down (-4%) due to Shrinkinflation
updated 22 April 2025
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Despite galloping inflation, high-end chocolate holds up well
"Customers have mostly remained loyal to the luxury chocolate manufacturers who have largely refused to reduce cocoa content and instead increased prices"...
... Consumer brands also held up well: Nestlé said the KitKat recipe had not changed, adding that the popularity of the chocolate bar demonstrated "the continued appeal of established brands offering tasty products."
Below: a Swiss luxury brand
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Rice price doubles, alarm in Japan
Source. There can be no more talk of climate change (which there is, of course there is).
The problems of Japanese rice come from afar.
Below : Le Monde September 2024, on the subject.
