Top Supermarkets in Italy: A Guide to Major Chains and Their Unique Features for Travelers and Residents

Discover Italy’s top supermarkets and hypermarkets, including Esselunga, Carrefour, Coop, and more. Learn about their unique features, locations, and offerings for a seamless shopping experience in Italy, whether you’re traveling or planning to live there. A helpful guide for expats, students, and visitors.

1. Esselunga

Esselunga is one of Italy's leading supermarket chains, well known for its high-quality groceries and excellent service.  
• Distribution : Primarily concentrated in northern Italy, especially in major cities like Milan.  
• Features and Advantages : It offers high-quality fresh food and a wide range of local products. Esselunga’s private label, "Esselunga," is known for offering high quality at reasonable prices. The store places great emphasis on customer service and enhancing the shopping experience.

 

2. Carrefour

Carrefour is a global hypermarket chain headquartered in France. Carrefour stores are widely spread across Italy. They are typically large in size and offer a wide variety of products, ranging from groceries to electronics, making it a one-stop shop for everything you need.  

• Distribution : Carrefour is located throughout Italy, with stores evenly distributed in major cities as well as small and medium-sized towns.  
• Features and Advantages : Carrefour’s strength lies in its broad product range and extensive selection. Fresh groceries and a wide variety of organic products are easily accessible. Additionally, Carrefour’s private label products are known for their high quality and affordable prices, making them very popular among customers.

 

3. LaEsse

LaEsse is an urban supermarket brand operated by Esselunga. While smaller than hypermarkets, it is conveniently located in city centers, offering excellent accessibility. It is similar in concept to Korea’s Emart365.
• Distribution: Primarily located in major cities like Milan, with a focus on accessible urban areas. As of September 2024, there are around 10 stores evenly distributed within the city of Milan, with two located within a 5-10 minute walk from Milan’s Duomo Cathedral.
• Features and Advantages: Ideal for those seeking fresh groceries and a quick shopping experience. It also offers ready-to-eat meals, with the option to take food to go. Most food orders can be placed through kiosks for added convenience.

 

4. Coop

Coop is Italy’s oldest and most well-known cooperative supermarket chain. It offers stores of various sizes and prioritizes customer satisfaction in its policies.  
• Distribution : Widely spread throughout Italy.  
• Features and Advantages : Coop carries a wide range of products, including fair-trade and organic goods, and collaborates with local producers to offer fresh, high-quality items. Its membership program is also a notable benefit.

 

5. Lidl

Lidl is a discount supermarket chain headquartered in Germany, and it is highly popular in Italy. It is known for offering products with great value for money. If you go early in the morning, you can enjoy freshly baked bread, which is highly recommended.

• Distribution: Spread across Italy, with many locations in small to medium-sized cities and suburban areas.
• Features and Advantages: Lidl offers high-quality products at affordable prices and provides a wide selection of German and European items at reasonable rates. Its private-label products are especially popular.

 

6. ALDI

ALDI is a global discount supermarket chain headquartered in Germany, known for offering products of excellent quality at competitive prices. ALDI provides an efficient shopping experience through reasonable prices and simple store layouts.

• Distribution: ALDI is spread throughout Italy, particularly in northern and central Italy, and can easily be found in major cities as well as suburban areas.
• Features and Advantages: ALDI focuses on competitively priced private-label products and offers a wide range of groceries and household items. The store layout is simple and efficient, and the value for money of the products is outstanding. Many customers particularly appreciate the high quality of both fresh and processed foods.
• Additional Features and Advantages: The store is well known for providing fresh groceries and a variety of regional specialties, with excellent customer service.

 

7. Conad

Conad is one of Italy’s largest supermarket chains, operated by a network of cooperatives. It offers a variety of store formats.
• Distribution: Conad is spread throughout Italy and can be easily found in both urban and suburban areas.
• Features and Advantages: The store offers a wide range of products, focusing on fresh and high-quality groceries, with easy access to regional specialties. Conad also provides a variety of benefits through its Conad card.

 

8. Eurospin

Eurospin is a well-known discount supermarket chain that is highly popular across Italy.

• Distribution: Eurospin is spread throughout Italy, with many stores located in suburban areas.
• Features and Advantages: It offers basic groceries at low prices, with a focus on private-label products. It is ideal for those looking for economical shopping options.

 

9. Iper

Iper is one of the largest hypermarket chains in Italy, known for its spacious stores and wide range of products.
• Distribution: Primarily located in northern Italy, with many stores situated in large suburban shopping malls.
• Features and Advantages: The large stores offer a wide variety of products all in one place, including both fresh groceries and non-food items, providing a broad selection for customers.

 

10. Iperal

Iperal is a hypermarket chain operating mainly in northern Italy, closely connected with local communities.
• Distribution: Primarily located in northern Italy, especially in the Lombardy region.
• Features and Advantages: Iperal emphasizes local specialties and fresh products, working closely with local communities to support the regional economy.

 

11. Penny Market

Penny Market is a discount supermarket chain headquartered in Germany, popular in Italy for offering great value shopping.

• Distribution: Spread throughout Italy, mainly located in small to medium-sized cities and suburban areas.
• Features and Advantages: Penny Market offers a variety of products at affordable prices, with a focus on fresh groceries at low costs. The store also features a wide range of private-label products.

 

12. MD

MD is an Italian supermarket chain that offers a wide range of products at affordable prices, targeting value-conscious customers.
• Distribution: Located throughout Italy, MD stores are commonly found in small to medium-sized cities and suburban areas.
• Features and Advantages: MD offers many private-label products with good quality for the price, making it ideal for those seeking economical shopping options.

 

13. Bennet

Bennet is a hypermarket chain operating mainly in northern Italy, offering a wide range of products in large stores.
• Distribution: Concentrated in northern Italy, particularly in the Lombardy region.
• Features and Advantages: Bennet offers a variety of products, from fresh groceries to electronics, all in one place, with excellent value for money.

 

14. Famila

Famila is a supermarket chain spread throughout Italy, primarily selling fresh groceries and everyday items.

• Distribution: Evenly distributed across Italy, with many locations in both small and large cities.
• Features and Advantages: Famila offers a wide range of regional specialties and private-label products, providing high-quality groceries at reasonable prices.

 

15. Tigros

Tigros is a supermarket chain primarily operating in northern Italy, closely connected with local communities.
• Distribution: Mainly located in northern Italy, with many stores in the Lombardy region.
• Features and Advantages: Tigros focuses on regional specialties and fresh groceries, and is known for its excellent customer service.

 

16. PAM

PAM is a well-known supermarket brand in Italy, offering good quality products at reasonable prices.
• Distribution: Primarily located in central and northern Italy, with many stores in major cities and small to medium-sized towns.
• Features and Advantages: PAM provides a wide range of private-label products and regional specialties at affordable prices, with plenty of discount offers.

We hope this post makes your travel or stay in Italy even more enjoyable and convenient.
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