I'm an American who lived in Rome. These were the 6 most surprising things about grocery shopping in Italy.
An American expatriate shares personal observations about the differences between grocery shopping in Italy and the United States. The piece highlights cultural nuances such as frequent, multi-stop shopping trips and a focus on fresh, local quality over convenience.
Why it matters
It provides cultural insight into how daily habits and consumer behavior differ significantly between Western nations, impacting retail and food industry expectations.
When I lived in Italy, I was surprised by how different the grocery shopping experience was compared to the US. Jenna Curcio When I moved from the US to Italy, I was surprised by how different grocery shopping was. I noticed that Italians seemed to shop for groceries more frequently than Americans. Some Italian grocery stores welcome dogs, and even have special carts for them. When I first moved from the US to Italy in 2022, I expected some cultural differences, like slower-paced dinners, smaller coffee sizes, and fewer 24/7 conveniences. However, what surprised me most was how different something as simple as grocery shopping felt. The products on the shelves weren't the only thing that had changed — I felt the entire rhythm, environment, and unspoken etiquette of the chore had, too.
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