Italians and the table: the most sought-after "recipe" is certification

Italy, a country historically known for its culinary tradition rich in varied and tasty dishes.
Food in our part of the world plays a central role in Italians' daily lives, and the quality of food ranks 3rd among all the factors that affect quality of life, preceded only by family affections and economic stability.

This is revealed by the Nielsen research "Italians and food quality", which investigated what Italians think about food quality, what role they assign to certification and what role to communication.
3 out of 4 Italians declare that they prefer "healthy food rather than tasty food".
And if we then move on to a definition of product quality, according to the research it is first and foremost the genuineness of a product (64%), followed by compliance with legal regulations and the communication of the geographical origin of "made in Italy". Surprisingly, the perception of high quality does not go hand in hand with price positioning: only 3% of respondents believe that the cost of a product is always an indicator of quality.

The research highlights how the current economic crisis is affecting Italians' purchasing and consumption patterns, causing price to lose ground in favour of information on the traceability of the supply chain and therefore the safety of what one eats and its certification. So if comparing prices represents the main anti-crisis measure, containing spending necessarily means an impoverishment of the value of the shopping basket.

It is interesting to note that, from the analysis conducted by Nielsen, for 63% of the consumers surveyed, when it comes to food quality, companies have more credibility than institutions.
Italian consumers do not ask only for reassurances about the quality of food, but also about the communication of what is said to demonstrate that a food is of quality. For 59% of consumers, companies "talk" and inform more about aspects connected to the quality of the products offered, even though the messages conveyed do not always prove credible (71%).

Certifying the truthfulness of the messages can today play a fundamental role: because, the research concludes, let us not forget that it takes time to earn trust, but only a moment to lose it.