the fruit juice market | Italy

1.1 Definition and presentation

A fruit juice is a liquid or drink obtained from fruit, it can be totally natural (100% fruit-based) or produced in the factory through a mixture of fruit, water and other chemicals. Consequently, it is possible to segment the market according to the amount of fruit present in the drink. According to this criterion the market is divided into 4 main categories:

• Pure juices: these are fruit juices whose substance is entirely composed of pressed fruit without the addition of carbohydrates or additives.
• Smoothies: these are drinks obtained from fruit purées without other additions.
• Concentrated juices: these are fruit juices produced from concentrated juices and water. The main objective of concentration is to improve and simplify the transport, storage and preservation of juice.
• Fruit nectars: these are fruit juices or fruit purées mixed with water and sugar.

In a soft drinks market that is not progressing very well, the fruit juice segment has struggled to develop in Italy, penalised by complementary products. Recently, however, the sector has recorded a positive performance, driven by a change in food purchasing habits and a greater awareness of the origin and ingredients contained in products on the part of consumers, variables that have been placed at the centre of the new product lines offered.