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Germany: tofu is a good alternative to meat


In 2025, tofu sales in Germany rose by 26.1 per cent compared with the previous year (Circana data), whilst the Rewe supermarket chain reported growth of around 30 per cent. And this growth shows no sign of slowing down, given that by March 2026 there had already been an 11 per cent increase compared with the same month the previous year… In Italy too, on social media, several consumers have reported temporary difficulties in finding Lidl’s smoked tofu, complaining that it had been missing from the refrigerated shelves of some stores for weeks...

LidlMeat
 

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Here’s how high temperatures threaten olive trees, as well as the quality and quantity of the oil


... The fruit yield decreases and there is a shortage of oil The first effect of excessive heat is evident in the fruit. When temperatures consistently exceed 25°C during the oil-accumulation phase – that is, between 60 and 120 days after flowering – the consequences are plain for all to see. The dry weight of the fruit decreases, the growth phase is shortened and the daily growth rate falls. In practice, the fruits ripen earlier but are smaller and lighter... The heat also alters the ratio of pulp to stone, a ‘dilution’ effect that further reduces the oil concentration. In practice, the plant invests more energy in wood growth than in the accumulation of fatty substances, and this results in fruit with less oil and of lower quality. The quality of the oil depends primarily on its fatty acid profile, and this is where the heat really takes its toll. Oleic acid, which should account for between 55 and 83 per cent of the oil to be considered high-quality extra virgin, decreases by 0.7 per cent for every additional degree of temperature. At the same time, palmitic and linoleic acids increase; in some hot regions of the world, these levels even exceed the limits set by the International Olive Council. But the biggest surprise comes from studies on daily temperature trends. It is not so much the midday heat that makes the difference, but the minimum night-time temperature and the daily temperature range. This means that warm nights are particularly harmful, perhaps because they affect enzymatic processes that take place in the dark...

Climate changeExtra Virgin Olive Oil
 

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Tesco is considering selling its European operations


Drafted on 8 July, updated on 14 July 2026. According to the Financial Times, the supermarket chain is exploring options with its banks for its operations in Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, where it employs over 22,000 people. The sale of the business would put an end to Tesco’s ambitions outside the UK and Ireland, including its failed attempt to build a new supermarket chain from scratch in the United States. I visited a Tesco in Budapest in 2008 and didn’t come away with a very good impression. Tesco’s latest figures can be found here: turnover from the Central European division is marginal, accounting for 6.2 per cent of the total. The EBIT figures (operating profit: the blue line shows the trend in Central Europe’s EBIT) below are taken from a subsequent Financial Times article which reminds us all that purchasing in the retail sector takes place at a local, country-specific level. This has been one of the major obstacles to the internationalisation of Carrefour, Walmart, Auchan and Rewe, for example: the approach is international, but the products are, for the most part, local.

AuchanCarrefourLocalismTescoWalmart
 

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Extreme heat threatens the heart of Parmigiano Reggiano production


Drafted on 13 July, updated on 14 July 2026 “Extreme heat affects both the quality and quantity of milk,” said Nicola Bertinelli, president of the Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium, who also runs the dairy business his family founded in 1895 on the outskirts of Parma... With temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), cows spend more time lying down, eat less and produce up to 10 per cent less milk – one of the only three ingredients in Parmigiano, alongside salt and rennet. We’ve covered this before.

Climate change
 

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Shrinkflation: same price but less product – new rules come into force on 15 July


Drafted on 13 July, updated on 14 July 2026 From 15 July, therefore, the new measures against shrinkflation will come into force, but the regulations appear to have been watered down and lack teeth: according to the Mimit decree, the obligation for manufacturers to include the wording “This pack contains X (unit of measurement) less than the previous quantity”, which has been replaced by a communication system throughout the supply chain involving both physical and online distributors and retailers. In the event of a reduction in a product’s nominal quantity, the parties in the supply chain (manufacturers, distributors) must send retailers a standardised notice containing information on the change, and the percentage price increase attributable to the reduction in content; this information must be made available to consumers at points of sale or via digital channels... How? Via signs, for three months. It is not yet known what the possible penalties might be. Read more on this topic here. Below: two cases of product ‘shrinkage’, where the price remained the same, reported by Altroconsumo and highlighted by Il Fatto Alimentare. All the major brands, such as Ferrero, Barilla and Fage, have practised ‘shrinkflation’.

BarillaFerrero
 

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The ingredients of a genuine Genoese pesto and the top 10 brands according to Gambero Rosso


Today, the Consortium’s specification sets out certain key requirements: at least 25 per cent Genovese Basil PDO, extra virgin olive oil from Liguria or neighbouring regions, Italian garlic, Mediterranean pine nuts, sea salt and PDO cheeses such as Parmigiano Reggiano, Grana Padano and certified pecorino cheeses. Any menthol-like note is also excluded, as it is considered out of keeping with the correct flavour profile. The list also includes two products from Coop and Conad, produced by Bruzzone & Ferrari

ConadCoop
 

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Heatwaves: sales at risk


In France, sales of barbecue products have fallen – by 30 per cent – with even minced meat (viande hachée) down by 10 per cent, alongside chocolate, sugar, stock, tea, sausages, fresh pizzas, coffee and spreads. Uniqlo – a Japanese clothing group with a presence in various countries around the world – has stated that it has had to close some of its shops due to the extreme heat. It would be interesting to have reports and data for our country.

Climate changeCoffeeMeatNon-food
 

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Carrefour opens its first Match Frais: the target is 160 outlets by 2030


Source: Carrefour, which currently operates Carrefour hypermarkets, Carrefour Market, Carrefour City, Carrefour Express, Carrefour Contact, Carrefour Montagne, Promocash, Supeco, Atacadao and Carrefour City Potager. With this existing brand, as Olivier Dauvers explains on LinkedIn, it certainly aims to compete with Grand Frais. French supermarkets face the same challengesin the fruit and vegetable sector as their Italian counterparts. However, given that the name ‘Carrefour’ appears to have disappeared from the signage once again, it is unclear what synergies – in terms of marketing, purchasing and sales – might exist with the group’s head office regarding fresh produce, particularly as the head office will still supply part of the product range (e.g. ready meals). Perhaps only with major brands, such as Coca-Cola or Ferrero’s Nutella, which Match – unlike Grand Frais – will offer its customers. Faced with this umpteenth attempt by the French group, scepticism remains amongst those who have worked there: they saw Carrefour as a model but have also witnessed – over the years – how it has squandered energy and money on a series of fruitless ‘experiments’.  Drafted on 7 July, updated on 10 July 2026

CarrefourCoca-ColaFerreroFruit and vegetables
 

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Lidl, the retailer most favoured by Italians


Lidl Italia, with 800 stores across the Italian peninsula, stands as the leading retailer in terms of customer growth within the Italian large-scale retail sector. According to the latest figures from NielsenIQ, 65 per cent of Italian households (over 16 million) have shopped at Lidl in the last year... It is worth noting that this article, taken from a press release, refers to a ‘retailer’ rather than a ‘discount store’.

DiscountLidl