Supermarkets: ruptures persist in pasta department

Three years after the trigger of the crisis linked to the pandemic of COVID-19, the supply remains under tension.

by Laurence Girard

Are you rather truffle macaroni gratin or butter shells? Whatever the recipe, all French people have at least one pack of pasta at home. But even today, when they have to make their choice in supermarkets, they cannot help but make an observation: the assortment of the ranges is far from complete. Three years after the triggering of the crisis caused by the pandemic of COVID-19, the ray of the pasta remains under tension.

“We always have supply problems. We can speak of pearl breaks on the shelves,” said Albert Mathieu, Managing Director of Panzani. He evokes an increase in sales of 10 % in December 2022 to explain the disorders collected in stores during the month of January.

It is true that the French have changed their consumption habits at the time of the first confinement. The homes were overcome to face this unprecedented crisis, and Spaghetti and Farfalles were in good place in the trolleys of panic.

irregular purchases

Result, the slowly purring pasta market suddenly woken up. “Sales on the French market increased from 400,000 to 450,000 tonnes between 2019 and 2020. In 2022, they remained at a higher level at the forefront at 419,000 tonnes”, explains Mr. Mathieu. And purchases are not regular, which complicates the task of industrialists.

Does the peak of December 2022 are explained by a movement of consumers wishing to tighten their belts during periods of inflation? The pasta remains, in fact, a product accessible to the greatest number even if its price has also climbed. “Before the crisis, the pack of pasta of 500 g panzani cost 75 cents, it is today at more than 1 euro”, specifies Mr. Mathieu.

He believes that the movement will continue: “To deal with the increase in our costs, it would take a new increase of 15 %.” Negotiations are underway with the distributors. Panzani’s electricity bill has more than doubled. But to reduce that of its customers, the manufacturer advises its fine pasta cooked in three minutes …

/Media reports cited above.