Quick Take — This is the worst bar of soap according to Altroconsumo: Dove, Nidra and Esselunga have also been given a failing mark

Conad and Selexsoap bars were also rated as ‘poor ’.

The survey examined25 solid soap bars(as part of a wider comparison of 65 soaps, including both solid and liquid varieties), assessing the ingredients listed on the label, their environmental impact and certain health-related aspects. The final score placed greater weight on environmental factors (70 per cent), whilst the remaining 30 per cent related to problematic ingredients, allergens and substances considered less favourable. GreenMe

(Dove is a brand of the Unilever group).

Quick Take — In Altroconsumo’s value-for-money ranking, Eurospin comes out on top among discount stores, whilst Dok, Coop and Famila dominate the supermarket and superstore categories for general shopping

The table to look at is the second one.

The comparison in the first table is not very meaningful, partly because the products sold by discount stores, supermarkets and superstores are not the same.

Conad comes top in terms of value for money if you look only at own-brand products (third table).

Source

Drafted on 2 September, updated on 3 September 2026

Quick Take — The 6 best bresaolas from the supermarket

… How to recognise good bresaola

A high-quality bresaola generally has a uniform red colour, with possible slight variations depending on the cut and the curing process. The slices should be firm, springy and tender to the bite, without being dry, sticky or stringy.

On the nose, the aroma should be delicate, with notesof matured meat and well-integrated spices. On the palate, the savouriness should complement the flavour of the meat without overpowering it. Less impressive examples, on the other hand, tend to have overpowering aromas, a texture that is either too moist or too dry, and an excess of salt that masks all other nuances…

The top 6 are: Conad, Salumificio Panzeri, Flli. Beretta, Ghiotto, Consilia and Rigamonti (JBS).

Quick Take — 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

Quick Take — Supermarket mozzarella: the Gambero Rosso ranking

The ranking published by Gambero Rosso places Gioiella (produced by Capurso Azienda Casearia) in first place, with a Mozzarella di Gioia del Colle PDO priced at €6.49 for 400 grams. Next come Deliziosa, also with a Mozzarella di Gioia del Colle PDO, and Pettinicchio, a historic brand from the Agro Pontino region now part of the Granarolo group.

Looking at the official ranking, the order (after the top three of Gioiella, Deliziosa and Pettinicchio) sees Todis first, followed by Esselunga, Centrale del Latte di Roma, Conad, Carrefour, Cuomo and finally Francia (which rounds off the top 10). The presence of private labels and supermarket brands is interesting because it shows how, at least in terms of taste, some products from modern retail outlets can compete with better-known dairy brands.

Quick Take — Auchan Retail is selling its stake in Auchan Hungary. And in France, it has lost 2.7 billion over the past five years

Source: Hungary and Source: on losses in France, although the article states that Auchan’s market share in France is 8 per cent: in reality, it is now almost half that: 5.8% in the latest period, down 0.3% on the previous period, when it stood at 6.1%, representing a fall of0.4% compared with the period before that. It stood at 8.3% – by volume – three years ago.

Auchan is suffering from an internal crisis that has caused it to lose its leadership in the hypermarket segment, once the brand’s flagship format.

In Italy, it has sold its network to Conad.

How Walmart became an advertising powerhouse whilst remaining focused on its food, non-food and e-commerce businesses

It is a pity that no Italian company has had the scale, but above all the vision, to take on the world in the way these giants have done. In Italy, everyone thought: e-commerce must be self-sustaining. This was the case for Esselunga at home until it had no rivals, but Amazon and Walmart disprove this view. E-commerce is underpinned by other, more profitable sources of revenue

Quick Take — The best ‘supermarket’ pesto? Discount stores win

At the top of the ranking are two Md and one Lidl-branded product: Lettere dall’Italia (Md) Pesto alla Genovese, with 42 points out of 100; Lettere dall’Italia (Md) Pesto alla Genovese without garlic, also with 42 points; and Vemondo (Lidl) Pesto vegano al basil, with 41 points.

What rewards the two Md pestos is above all the composition: the percentage of basil in the recipe is 63% basil, with a minimal oil component compared to the competitors.

Lidl‘s vegan pesto, on the other hand, contains no cheese and has a reduced content of both calories and saturated fat. Data that despite placing these jars at the top of the ranking, do not in fact speak for themselves..

Scarce: Alce Nero, Barilla, Biffi, Buitoni, Polli, Tigullio, Carrefour, Conad, Coop, Esselunga, Pam, Lidl, Eurospin, Md (which reference is not known)..

Source: Altroconsumo, via Repubblica