World Pasta Day 2026 Is Celebrated Today: What Would Life Be Without Pasta?

For 9 out of 10 Italians, a world without pasta would mean losing part of their culture and culinary identity. Almost 8 in 10 choose pasta for its taste and enjoyment, but convenience and affordability also play an important role. Italy reaffirms its global leadership, with pasta exports up 2.7% in 2026. A TEHA Group study for Unione Italiana Food highlights pasta’s role in bringing people together and fostering social connections.

Press release – Unione Italiana Food

For Italians, pasta represents an emotional bond worth preserving. It is not only a symbol of Made in Italy excellence but also a valuable everyday food thanks to its convenience and affordability. Indeed, for almost all Italians, life without pasta is simply unimaginable.

Despite the complex global geopolitical situation, pasta continues to strengthen its leading position. Global production has reached 17.3 million tonnes, with Italy remaining the world’s largest producer, manufacturing approximately 4.2 million tonnes in 2025 (+0.8%). Italians are also the world’s biggest pasta consumers, eating 23.1 kg per person annually. Italy accounts for 48.3% of global pasta trade, with exports worth €4 billion, equivalent to 5.4% of the country’s total agri-food exports.

According to a recent consumer survey commissioned by the pasta manufacturers of Unione Italiana Food (conducted by AstraRicerche through 1,005 online interviews with a representative sample of Italians aged 18–70), three out of four Italians associate pasta with taste and emotion, while seven out of ten appreciate its convenience and affordability. Pasta is considered a tasty and satisfying food (41.5%) that offers good value for money (39.6%).

For more than seven out of ten Italians, a plate of pasta takes on a deeper meaning when enjoyed with family. Sunday lunch is the most cherished family occasion for eating pasta (54.4%), followed by returning home after a long journey (32.6%). Social gatherings and celebrations, including time spent with friends (40.6%), rank behind home and family but remain significant (57%).

The survey findings were released to mark World Pasta Day 2026, the annual celebration established by Unione Italiana Food together with the International Pasta Organisation (IPO), held every 25 October to honour a food that symbolises sharing and togetherness.

The research explored Italians’ everyday relationship with pasta, from changing consumption habits and global challenges to the prospect of imagining life without it.

To address the new challenges facing Italian pasta, the pasta manufacturers represented by Unione Italiana Food have translated their commitment to the industry’s future into a strategic manifesto. Its priorities include building a more competitive supply chain, supporting exports, and investing in young people and innovation.

For 9 out of 10 Italians, life without pasta would mean cultural impoverishment and a loss of belonging

But how do Italians imagine life without pasta?

The prospect of pasta suddenly disappearing from supermarket shelves and restaurant menus provokes a negative reaction in almost nine out of ten Italians. The most common response is that such a scenario would simply be unimaginable (51.1%), followed by a sense of disorientation at losing a food that plays a central role in their diet (43.8%).

When allowed to select up to three answers, more than eight out of ten Italians (82.9%) say they would miss at least one aspect associated with comfort and enjoyment, such as the satisfaction of eating something delicious (48.8%). However, the most frequently cited individual response is the sense of belonging to Italian culture and tradition (52.5%).

Generational differences also emerge. Baby Boomers would particularly miss the pleasure of eating something good (57%), while Generation Z would regret losing an affordable, complete meal (55%). The emotional comfort associated with food is felt more strongly by Millennials (31%, compared with 19% of Baby Boomers).

When describing life without pasta, Italian identity comes into play.

Considering up to three responses, 93.5% of Italians associate such a scenario with at least one form of cultural impoverishment, a perception shared almost equally across all demographic groups. This includes imagining a life that is less rich in gastronomic and cultural terms (49.7%) and one that abandons its traditions (44.3%).

Four out of ten Italians (41.2%) would simply describe such a life as “less Italian”.

Other perceived losses, although less prominent, concern practical benefits and well-being (52.0%), as well as pleasure and social interaction (51.2%).

Pasta will remain an affordable excellence, open to innovation while firmly rooted in tradition

Confidence prevails when Italians consider the future of pasta: 59.6% believe it will retain its emotional and cultural significance for future generations, while only 5.5% expect it to lose this value.

Regarding the changes likely to have the greatest impact, two out of three Italians (66.6%) point to shifts in consumer behaviour, starting with evolving tastes and dietary habits (35.8%). Climate change, however, is the single most frequently mentioned factor (38.0%).

Economic factors remain secondary (38.8%), as do geopolitical issues linked to tariffs and wars (32.9%).

Among the lifestyle changes that Italians believe could influence future pasta consumption, health and sustainability concerns rank first (54.2%), followed by openness to new experiences (51.8%), including the fusion of different culinary traditions and the search for new recipes and combinations.

Time-related factors, such as quick meals and eating away from home, follow at 48.1%.

Italians expect the pasta of the future to fulfil two essential promises: remain affordable (70.4%) and continue to represent Italian food excellence (70.1%).

Adaptation to new dietary needs (65.6%) is also considered important, but without abandoning the connection to tradition.

A symbol of Made in Italy excellence, Italian cultural identity and affordable quality

On a symbolic level, pasta brings Italians together: 85.2% consider it a symbol of Made in Italy excellence, while 82.5% regard it as an emblem of Italian cultural identity.

Its qualities as an affordable, versatile food enjoyed daily by millions of people are also widely recognised (79.3%).

More specifically, affordability (43.4%), which makes pasta particularly valuable in a period of rising living costs, is its most frequently mentioned practical advantage, followed by its appeal to the whole family (41.6%).

Overall, more than one in three Italians (36.3%) have a particularly strong relationship with pasta, including “Devotees” (13.0%, especially Baby Boomers and men) and those who feel “Very Attached” (23.3%). Only 3.2% express a detached attitude towards it.

When asked to describe the nature of this relationship, practical considerations such as convenience and value for money prevail (38.1%), closely followed by emotional attachment (31.4%, particularly among young women) and cultural identity (27.3%, slightly more common among men).

World Pasta Lovers: Italy remains the leader in pasta production and exports

According to Unione Italiana Food data, Italy once again confirmed its leadership in pasta production, exports and consumption in 2025.

In terms of production, Italy manufactured approximately 4.2 million tonnes, ahead of Türkiye (2.04 million tonnes), the United States (2 million tonnes) and Egypt (1.5 million tonnes).

Italy also ranks first in consumption, at 23.1 kg per capita annually, followed by Tunisia (18.8 kg), Hungary (17.1 kg), Germany (16.8 kg), and Türkiye and Austria (12.5 kg each).

Exports, however, provide the clearest evidence of an industry strongly oriented towards international markets, with the value of overseas sales now matching that of domestic consumption.

In 2025, Italy exported more than 2,456,940 tonnes of pasta (+2.1% compared with 2024), worth a total of €3.969 billion.

Of the pasta exported in 2025, 1.3 million tonnes went to EU countries (51.9% of the total, +4% compared with 2024), confirming Europe’s central role in Italian pasta exports. The remaining 48.1% was shipped to non-EU markets.

Germany (466,422 tonnes), the United States (315,018 tonnes), France (292,341 tonnes) and the United Kingdom (279,342 tonnes) remain the leading destination markets, followed by Spain (69,325 tonnes), the Netherlands (69,628 tonnes) and Japan (67,719 tonnes).

The export growth recorded in 2025 continued into the first half of 2026, with volumes increasing by 2.7% compared with the same period in 2025 (1,224,477 tonnes in 2025 versus 1,257,234 tonnes in 2026).

The Italian pasta industry thus confirms its position as a strategic asset for the country’s agri-food sector, despite a challenging environment characterised by substantial US import tariffs, inflation, conflicts, rising raw material costs and climate change affecting durum wheat harvests.

“For Italians, pasta is a matter of belonging and national identity. The research presented confirms its role as a valuable ally for Italian families facing rising living costs,” explains Margherita Mastromauro, President of the Italian Pasta Manufacturers of Unione Italiana Food. “The pasta sector, which plays a central role in our domestic economy, must continue to grow and innovate to compete in international markets. The situation is complex, and we face numerous challenges. On this 28th edition of World Pasta Day, we want to reaffirm our commitment to the future of Italian pasta through a ten-point manifesto outlining our priorities, on which we intend to strengthen dialogue and cooperation with the government, institutions, the agricultural sector and the research community. We are calling on institutions to establish structured, ongoing dialogue to support companies through the transformations currently under way. With the agricultural sector, we want to consolidate cooperation focused on quality, enhancing the value of Italian durum wheat and ensuring production continuity. Research, meanwhile, is an essential partner in developing new solutions and anticipating future needs.”

“Italy’s leadership in pasta extends far beyond commercial performance,” comments Paolo Barilla, President of Unione Italiana Food. “However, the global environment is changing rapidly, requiring companies to continue innovating and adapting to increasingly complex scenarios. The challenge is to preserve what makes Italian pasta unique while investing in research, sustainability, technology and new skills. The future of our leadership will depend on the evolution of the entire system, building on expertise developed over time while fostering new capabilities.
Equally important is strengthening integration among the various players in the supply chain, recognising manufacturing excellence and developing a shared industrial vision capable of addressing global challenges with greater resilience. The challenge in the coming years will be to continue innovating without losing our identity.”

TEHA study: Pasta as an economic resource and a powerful driver of social connection

The strategic report Valore Pasta – Il contributo della filiera dell’industria della pasta per il Made in Italy (The Value of Pasta – The Contribution of the Pasta Industry Supply Chain to Made in Italy), prepared by The European House – Ambrosetti (TEHA Group) for the pasta manufacturers of Unione Italiana Food, found that the extended pasta supply chain — encompassing durum wheat cultivation, the milling industry and pasta manufacturing — generated revenues of €13.5 billion in 2025 and €3 billion in added value.

Yet pasta plays a structural role not only in the country’s economy but also as a powerful catalyst for togetherness.

More than eight out of ten Italians (83.4%) continue to value the social dimension of eating and occasions in which pasta plays a key role in bringing people together.

Furthermore, 68.6% of young people have eaten pasta outside regular mealtimes over the past year, particularly during social occasions.

Neuroscientific evidence also indicates that sharing a pasta meal stimulates positive emotions and strengthens social bonds and shared memories.

Italians’ unwillingness to give up pasta and everything it represents socially is also reflected in the growth in consumption of pasta, bread and cereals (+2.2%), against a backdrop of stagnating household food consumption in Italy over the past decade.

This is a particularly positive result compared with the significant declines recorded in other categories, such as fruit (-6.3%), vegetables (-5.4%) and meat (-1.1%).

Out of average monthly household food expenditure of €533, pasta, bread and cereals remain the second-largest spending category, accounting for 16% (€83), behind only meat and processed meat products (22%).

#WorldPastaDay: A social media marathon to celebrate pasta around the world

Social media will once again play an important role in World Pasta Day celebrations.

Using the official hashtag #WorldPastaDay and mentioning the social media accounts of WeLovePasta.it (Facebook, X and Instagram), pasta lovers, journalists, chefs and bloggers from around the world will be invited to celebrate by preparing their favourite pasta dishes.

At the heart of the initiative remains the universal love of pasta.

Last year, more than 21,000 pasta-inspired posts were shared on social media using the hashtag #WorldPastaDay.

Now in its 28th edition, World Pasta Day is promoted by Unione Italiana Food and the International Pasta Organisation.