Online food purchasing in Italy has increased by 42% in the past 12 months, with nine million consumers opting to buy groceries through e-commerce channels, a study published by Netcomm consultancy has revealed. Growth in the sector was mainly driven by home delivery services, the report said.

The global food e-commerce market is worth €58 billion, of which Europe's share amounts to €14.9 billion.  In Europe, over 167 million people buy food online – 19 million in the UK, 18 million in Germany, 13.5 million in France, and 10 million in Spain.