On the side of the customers

In 2023 the so-called “rebound effect” in the economy, i.e. the boost deriving from the post-pandemic restart, did not fully materialise in the way we had hoped. At a global level, growth slowed down compared to 2022 and the most recent forecasts from the European Commission point to a slowdown in global GDP (+3.1% in 2023, +2.9% in 2024). In the international scenario, there are various geopolitical tensions that are affecting development prospects, integration between countries and the more complex structure that governs supranational relations.

In 2023, there was a plus sign for all consumer goods baskets according to Nielsen’s findings, with some general considerations: the time dedicated to household consumption is growing; a desire to feel good and to pay more attention to one’s health are no longer impromptu trends; new “family members” – pets – are making their appearance, and Italians are allocating them more and more resources within their spending budget.

The year 2023 was dominated by various factors that had an effect on the real economy and consumption, linked to pre-existing, medium- and long-term phenomena and to new events that have redesigned balances and priorities. The large retail sector, in particular, has continued with its commitment towards combating inflation, by offsetting price increases as much as possible, so as to defend purchasing power. 

In a complex year like 2023, the fundamentals of the Conad System were growing, despite the slight contraction in consumption, confirming Conad as the leader store for the sector in Italy, with a system turnover of 20 billion euros, up by 8.11% compared to the previous year, with a market share of just over 15% of the total Italian large retail sector.