Overseas
The 2025 update on household consumption released by Confcommercio shows an Italy that is spending more, but with narrower margins for discretionary choices. Real per capita expenditure is estimated at €22,114, up €239 compared to 2024, with household consumption growing by 1% in real terms. However, the figure remains below pre-crisis 2007 levels.
Within total spending, the category “meals at home and away from home” reaches €5,097 per capita. Of this, €3,395 is spent on food and beverages at home—continuing its structural decline—while €1,702 goes to restaurants and bars, recovering to represent 7.7% of the household budget. The signal is clear: out-of-home dining is growing again, though it has not yet closed the gap with pre-pandemic levels.
A decisive factor is the weight of mandatory expenses, which in 2025 rise to 42.2% of the total, equal to over €9,300 per capita. Housing, insurance, fuel and energy subtract resources from “marketable” spending, forcing households into more selective and pragmatic choices.
For the seafood sector, the picture brings both opportunities and constraints. In retail, the decline in at-home consumption requires functional assortments: portioned packs, ready-to-cook products, and extended shelf-life solutions. Families reward convenience and reduced waste, but remain willing to pay more for attributes such as certified origin, sustainability and practicality.
In foodservice, the recovery of restaurants calls for menu engineering strategies built on a dual approach: high-margin signature dishes and affordable options that ensure frequency of consumption. Enhancing local and seasonal species strengthens identity and competitiveness, particularly in tourist-driven areas, where spending on leisure and travel is showing renewed momentum.
Looking ahead, 2025 confirms a polarization: families constrained by mandatory expenses, yet eager for quality experiences in their free time. For the seafood industry, seizing this balance means rethinking assortments and gastronomic offerings, blending affordability, trust, and territorial identity.
The Confcommercio 2025 Household Consumption Report highlights an Italy growing slowly in consumption, with 42.2% of household budgets absorbed by mandatory spending. For the seafood supply chain, the challenge is twofold: utility and certified value in retail, identity and margins in foodservice.
