Quick Take — Retail prices in Italy and inflation: antitrust investigates

In a nutshell, food inflation is higher than total inflation (which includes other items, such as energy, services, etc.) and therefore the AGCM opened a file on it.

We fear it has done so unnecessarily because the prices of many consumer goods – used every day in the lives of Italians – have risen sharply, much higher than average, even in the food sector as a whole. Below – in the first image – you will find some examples. This has also happened in other countries (e.g. meat in the USA).

Even during Covid- 19 a similar investigation was triggered, which then ended up in thin air: the real, long-standing problem, which has never been addressed and solved, is that of farmers’ profitability (see Repubblica piece below). On this issue you can also read this article.

Written on 24 December, updated on 25 December 2025

PDO & PGI certifications

‘Two thirds of the pork legs processed in Italy come from pigs bred in Spain and Northern Europe…’. And unfortunately some scandals – such as prosciuttopoli – have shaken the sector: we need ad hoc marketing campaigns that explain the value of the PDO

Quick Take — US: dollar sales of fresh beef increased by 12.4% to USD 44 billion

But beef prices have risen 6.7% in the past year, with inflation accelerating in recent months, according to data from Chicago-basedCircana.

Despite rising prices, beef is seeing growth in premium segments, such as the Prime line of Certified Angus Beef (pictured below). Source : Progressive Grocer

The increase in total volume (kg) – premium and non-premium – was still very strong at 5.7%. Read more on the subject here.

JBS: skyrocketing meat prices in the US amid use of anti-obesity drugs and increasing protein consumption

The anti-obesity molecule revolution is challenging the model of the industry giants, which could lose up to USD 90 billion in the US by 2031. As a result, multinationals are trying to switch to Europe and a more protein-rich offer. And US restaurants – given the level of meat inflation – are struggling and reducing staff and portions of their dishes

The European Parliament votes to dismantle the law against deforestation

The anti-deforestation legislation, hailed as revolutionary by environmental organisations, was strongly criticised from the start by some countries, such as Brazil, the US and, within the EU, Germany, eager to protect their foresters. Several large companies, including Nestlé, Danone and Ferrero, had however prepared themselves and were urging Brussels to definitively implement it…

Quick Take — The price of hazelnuts, essential for Ferrero’s spreads and chocolates, has almost doubled since the beginning of the summer

after a spring frost and a pest epidemic in Turkey reduced the amount of hazelnuts available for the confectionery industry.

Ferrero, which consumes about a quarter of global hazelnut production , halted purchases, drawing on its own stocks and sourcing from Chile and the US.

London-based traders say prices have further inflated as Turkish middlemen have aggressively bought from farmers, betting that the world’s largest hazelnut consumer will soon be forced back into the market.

In a normal year, Turkey harvests between 600,000 and 700,000 tonnes of hazelnuts, almost two-thirds of the global supply of around 1.1 million tonnes.

The hazelnut situation, like that of cocoa or meat and milk, will create further inflation.

Drafted 31 October, updated 2 November 2025