Italy

2023 was a good year for limited-service restaurants in Italy with the category seeing an increase in the number of outlets, while also seeing healthy transaction growth in value and volume terms. This positive trend was seen both in independent as…

After a strong recovery in demand in 2022 as COVID-19 measures were relaxed the number of transactions through self-service cafeterias started to decline again in 2023. This decline was in part due to the fact that more consumers are now spending at…

2023 was another good year for street stalls/kiosks with the category seeing an increase in value and volume terms but also in terms of the number of outlets. Chained street stalls/kiosks saw more dynamic growth than independent street stalls/kiosks…

Throughout 2022 and 2023, sales of air care products were negatively impacted by tough economic conditions, which saw cash-strapped consumers seek to rationalise their expenditure by switching away from non-essential products. This was accompanied by…

Volume sales of bleach continued to decline in 2023, although demand remained above pre-pandemic levels. Increasingly viewed as an old-fashioned product, bleach enjoyed a major resurgence in 2020, due to its well-recognised sanitising properties,…

Dishwashing in Italy saw strong growth doing the pandemic, but in 2023 sales continued to normalise as consumers continued to return to pre-pandemic routines, spending more time dining in foodservice channels and with friends and family, and less…

Value growth in home care in Italy in 2023 was primarily supported by high inflation, bringing up unit prices as volume sales slowed or declined. Though pandemic-related fears of virus infection through surface contact have waned, Italian consumers…

The increasing frequency of high temperatures and periods of prolonged drought, followed by heavy showers, is believed to have encouraged the spread of insect infestations in Italy during the review period. In addition to the usual infestations in…

Demand for laundry care products continued to fall in Italy in 2023, as consumers maintained the less rigorous washing and sanitation regimes practised pre-pandemic. Reduced anxiety over catching the virus, along with rising electricity costs and…

As consumers look for new and innovative ways to save money, they try to save as much as they can by cutting expenses on anything that is not considered a strict necessity. Polishes oftentimes fall into this basket, considering that priority is…

Surface care suffered a third consecutive year of declining volume sales in 2023, in contrast to the surge in demand seen in 2020. The advent of the COVID-19 virus in Italy had a very strong positive impact on retail sales in both volume and current…

Consistent with trends across home care generally, volume sales of toilet care products declined in 2023. As inflation continued to rise, placing household incomes under intense pressure, consumers started to trade down to cheaper products. This…

Apparel and footwear specialists continued to record single-digit growth in current value terms in 2023 as the category continued on the path to recovery. Despite this sales remained lower than pre-pandemic levels as elevated inflation and a sharp…

It was another tough year for appliances and electronics specialists in Italy in 2023 with the category seeing a decline in current value terms for the second consecutive year. Sales slumped in 2020 due to the outbreak of COVID-19 before recording a…

Trends in hospitals and the healthcare system in Italy have been influencing the performance of away-from-home (AFH) tissue and hygiene through 2023. In 2022, Italy faced an increase in hospitalisations for health issues other than those connected to…

The geopolitical developments of 2022 and 2023 have had a big impact on retail in Italy. Russia's war in Ukraine continued in 2023 with no sign of resolution at the time of writing, while the emergence of further instability in other parts of the…

After two years of solid growth, direct selling experienced a decline in current value terms in 2023. However, performances varied within direct selling in 2023 with some categories continuing to perform well in 2023, but especially those with a…

Despite the easing of inflationary pressures in Italy over 2023, price increases and thus inflation rates remained high in the country. Therefore, price and value remained the most pressing concerns for many consumers when choosing to shop for their…

General merchandise stores recorded dynamic double-digit growth in current value terms in 2022 with department stores and variety stores both seeing elevated sales. This performance was backed by a renewed sense of optimism as concerns around the…

Health and beauty specialists saw moderate growth in current value terms in 2023, although this was largely the result of price inflation rather than an increase in demand. When it comes to pharmacies small and independent players account for most…