Italian retailers advance Christmas panettone sales to October

Retailers in Italy are increasingly moving holiday products into earlier seasons, a trend known as seasonal de-seasonalization. In Milan, panettoni have appeared on supermarket shelves as early as the beginning of October, weeks before Halloween. This commercial strategy aims to extend sales periods and encourage impulse purchases.

In the context of seasonal specialties, pastry chef Iginio Massari has released a limited-edition Halloween panettone for 2026. Priced at 33 euros for a 450-gram format, the dessert features natural leavening, candied chestnuts, and milk chocolate nuggets, topped with colored chocolate glaze and dark chocolate skulls.