As purchasing power remains the paramount concern for French households—nearly 30% of whom face financial hardship before the month ends—shoppers are adapting by visiting stores more frequently while purchasing fewer items per visit. Despite these budget constraints, the underlying demand for quality and sustainability endures. In line with Carrefour’s Act for Food initiative, expectations in sectors like organic food have shifted from mere certification toward a search for true purpose: products must be local, fair, and above all, affordable.
To succeed in this changing landscape, Italian producers must prioritize innovation, differentiation, and regional authenticity. Proven successes like the expansion of pinsa demonstrate the strong French appetite for versatile Italian specialties. Looking ahead, significant growth lies in modern culinary trends—such as products tailored for air fryers (a segment where Carrefour France leads the market), reinvented tiramisu, regional focaccia variations, and traditional charcuterie with PDO/DOC certifications. At the sidelines of SIAL Paris 2026, Italianfood.net interviewed Régis Fraudin from Carrefour to discover something more about these issues.