Italy’s Retail Sales Decline in October 2024

Italy’s retail sector experienced a decline in October 2024, as reported by the Italian National Institute of Statistics. The retail trade index saw a drop of 0.5 percent in value and 0.8 percent in volume during the month. However, when looking at a broader three-month period, there was a modest increase, with sales value up by 0.6 percent and volume by 0.3 percent. Year-on-year comparisons reveal that retail value has grown by 2.6 percent, while volume increased by 1.5 percent.

Large-scale retail experienced a noteworthy uptick, growing by 3.2 percent. Meanwhile, online sales showed robust momentum with a remarkable rise of 4.7 percent, highlighting an ongoing shift towards digital shopping. Despite this, non-store sales saw a slight decrease of 0.4 percent.

Different sectors within retail had mixed outcomes. Notably, categories such as shoes, leather goods, and travel items faced challenges, posting a significant year-on-year decline of 1.9 percent. This nuanced picture illustrates how various segments of the industry are responding to the current economic landscape.

Despite the dip observed in October, the overall trend for the three-month period shows an encouraging trajectory, while the year-on-year data indicates a resilient retail environment poised for potential recovery. As the market continues to evolve, retailers will need to adapt to changing consumer behaviors and preferences to sustain growth in the coming months.