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

Quick Take — The retailer’s brand reaches 50% in the main European markets, setting a new record. In Italy, however, it remains at 36%

According to Circana, growth is set to accelerate in 2026: inflation and Ai-driven shopping will favour the cheapest products for the same benefits …

circana’s analysis finds that retailers have managed to keep prices low and quality high. MDDs are intercepting health and lifestyle trends, offering premium offerings and innovative product launches with more dynamism than national brands. Retailers’ strategy of targeting social media content at younger shoppers who are less loyal to traditional brands is also playing a key role in sustaining demand…

Below: Esselunga, under my leadership, was already at around 35% private label in 2003 (thanks to the Esselunga, Naturama, Esselunga Bio and Fidel brands, the first price created to combat discount stores).

Quick Take — Discount: worldwide growth exceeds the grocery market

According to IGD’s most recent analysis, the discount channel is confirmed as the physical food retail segment with the strongest growth globally by 2030, reinforcing a positioning that in recent years has progressively evolved from a simple price lever to a highly competitive and innovative retail model. In fact, the “Global discount trends 2026” report shows that discounters will register a compound annual growth rate of 4.8%, almost one percentage point higher than the 4.0% expected for the overall grocery market, a sign of a structural dynamic that continues to reward efficient formats, streamlined assortments and a strong value orientation.

Underlying this expansion are several converging factors, including persistent consumer demand for convenience, expanding sales networks, and a growing capacity for innovation in both product and operating models. As Dan Butler, insight partner at IGD, points out, discounters are no longer perceived as…

In this scenario, operators such as Aldi and Lidl will continue to play a dominant role, with combined sales estimated at $334 billion by the end of the decade, supported by private label investments, international expansion and advanced pricing and loyalty models. In parallel, the report points to even faster growth for so-called variety discounters, such as Action and Dollar Tree, which could reach a CAGR of 6.3% due to strong demand for low-priced non-food products and increased impulse buying…

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