Coop’s Trombone warns that shifting family shopping baskets signal broader food‑price stress, prompting the retailer to add ethnic staples like couscous and sushi
Executive summary: Trombone, the newly appointed president of Coop, stated that the crisis is evident in families’ shopping baskets and that the cooperative will adapt by offering ethnic foods such as couscous and sushi alongside traditional Italian products. The remark underscores growing household budget pressure from food‑price inflation and shows how a major retailer is adjusting its product mix to capture cost‑conscious consumers, which could affect margins and supply‑chain dynamics across the grocery sector.
Who is involved: Key actors include Coop’s leadership (president Trombone), Italian households adjusting purchasing habits, and suppliers of couscous, sushi and related ethnic ingredients.
Likely next: Coop is expected to pilot dedicated ethnic‑food sections in selected stores by September 2026, monitor official food‑price indices for further shifts, and potentially launch promotional campaigns on the new offerings in October 2026.
The Coop president’s comment highlights that Italian households are altering their grocery baskets amid rising food costs, a sign of consumer‑level inflation pressure. By signalling plans to discount and promote couscous, sushi and other ethnic foods, Coop aims to retain price‑sensitive shoppers and differentiate its assortment. The move reflects a broader trend where retailers respond to budget constraints by expanding value‑oriented, internationally sourced product lines.
Timeline
- — Trombone (Coop): “La crisi è nel carrello della spesa. Le famiglie cambiano, lo faremo anche noi” (la Repubblica — Economia)
Analysis — what this means
Likely next events
- Coop to pilot ethnic‑food sections in select stores by September 2026
- ISTAT to release September 2026 food‑price index update (early October 2026)
- Coop likely to launch promotional pricing on couscous and sushi in October 2026
Sectors affected
- Grocery retail
- Packaged food imports
- Ethnic food ingredients
Historical parallels
- 2008 financial crisis prompted Italian households to shift toward discount retailers and private‑label food brands
- 2022 Ukraine war caused spikes in pasta and edible‑oil prices, leading retailers to diversify into lower‑cost imported staples
Key entities
Sources
- Trombone (Coop): “La crisi è nel carrello della spesa. Le famiglie cambiano, lo faremo anche noi” — la Repubblica — Economia