Italy Retail Market Size, Share and Growth Analysis Report - Forecast Trends and Outlook (2024-2032)

Italy Retail Market Growth

Large shopping centres have witnessed a decline in the availability of vacant spaces since 2019, while medium-size assets have mostly witnessed no changes. Since January 2023, over 110 stores have been opened across Italy, of which shops related to clothing and accessories comprise a share of 41%. The average consumer footfall has improved by nearly 15% from 2022 while recording a slight year-on-year increase in Q1 2024. Average consumer spending has recovered to EUR 25.4 from 2019, with restaurants and personal care goods recording significant spending. Moreover, consumer spending on clothes has increased by nearly 19% year-on-year, indicating significant consumer appeal for fashionable items.

In Q1 2024, Italy’s retail sector attracted investments worth $110 million, which is five times greater than the amount received in Q1 2023. A total of 8 out-of-town transactions were also completed. Over the forecast period, investors are expected to bolster their spending on luxury and tourist destinations, thereby driving the market growth.

In Q1 2024, nearly 68% of all investments in Italy’s market were provided by foreign investors, with a huge focus on its northern regions. The landscape of the Italy market for retail suggests that prime net yields of shopping centres and retail warehouses surged by 7.25% and 3.75%, respectively, in Q1 2024. This creates a favourable outlook for market expansion.

Key Trends and Development

The rise of omnichannel retail; growing focus on hyper-personalised retail; rising focus on sustainability; and technological advancements and innovations are aiding the Italy retail market expansion

June 2024

Spanish brand Mango opened its first flagship store in Rome and announced its plans to establish 15 new stores in Italy within 2024. The openings underscore the company’s commitment to enhancing its market penetration in Italy and its strategic plans to open 500 new stores globally by 2026.

June 2024

UNIQLO expanded into Italy and launched two new distinctive stores in Milan and Rome. Through the stores, the company aims to offer UNIQLO LifeWear to local customers and visitors in these cities.

November 2023

Sensei, a Portuguese technology startup, opened its first self-service supermarket, Tuday Prendi & Vai, in Verona, Italy. The new store offers a convenient and fast shopping experience while eliminating checkouts, queues, and the need for scanning items.

October 2022

Slipop, owned by Chiama SRL, opened its first cashierless convenience store in Monterotondo, near Rome, in a 24/7 format. The store houses fresh foods, household items, groceries, ready meals, and newspapers and is equipped with video surveillance systems to protect the safety of customers.

The Rise of Omnichannel Retail

The rising demand for flexible and seamless shopping experiences and increasing competitiveness are prompting retailers to adopt omnichannel retail strategies to improve customer experiences, surge sales, build brand awareness, develop and generate new revenue streams, and enhance overall efficiency.

Rising Trend of Hyper-Personalised Retail

Retailers are increasingly leveraging artificial intelligence and data-driven insights to adopt hyper-personalised marketing strategies for meeting customers’ demand for curated and tailored experiences. Hyper-personalised marketing, by facilitating data-driven customer generation, workflow automation, detailed product targeting, and real-time customer segmentations, also reduces operational costs, maximises revenue, and elevates customer experiences.

Increasing Focus on Sustainability

The rise of sustainable consumerism, driven by rising ethical and environmental concerns among customers, is pushing retailers to adopt ethical supply chains and product sourcing, biodegradable and recyclable packaging materials, and energy-efficient and sustainable tools, machinery, and technology while developing climate-friendly services and products.

Technological Advancements and Innovations

Technological advancements and innovations are reshaping the retail landscape in Italy by enhancing the agility, speed, and efficiency of retail businesses, reducing inventory costs, eliminating under-buying and over-ordering, optimising store layouts, personalising customer experiences, and streamlining checkout processes.

Italy Retail Market Trends

There is a rising integration of augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) in retail and e-commerce stores to facilitate virtual try-ons, improve store performance and employee productivity, generate interactive content to deliver exceptional customer experiences and streamline supply chain operations.

Innovative technologies support retailers to analyse customer movement within stores, optimise layouts for maximum sales and engagement, offer targeted promotions and personalised recommendations to customers, and gain insights into inventory levels and seasonal trends. Besides, increasing interest in mobile shopping and the booming m-commerce landscape are prompting e-commerce companies to adopt AR, voice shopping, and data-driven personalised communication for improving user experiences.

Italy Retail Industry Segmentation

Italy Retail Market Report and Forecast 2024-2032 offers a detailed analysis of the market based on the following segments:

Market Breakup by Product Type

• Food, Beverage, and Grocery
• Personal and Household Care
• Apparel, Footwear, and Accessories
• Furniture and Home Decor
• Industrial and Automotive
• Electronic and Household Appliances
• Pharmaceuticals
• Luxury Goods
• Others

Market Breakup by Distribution Channel

• Hypermarket and Supermarket
• Convenience Stores
• Speciality Stores
• E-Commerce
• Others

Market Breakup by Region

• North-West Region
• North-East Region
• Central Region
• South Region

Italy Retail Market Share

Based on region, the market is segmented into the North-West Region, the North-East Region, the Central Region, And the South Region. Over the forecast period of 2024-2032, the North-West region is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 3.2% as retailers in the region expand their presence.

Leading Companies in the Italy Retail Market

Major food and beverage companies in the market are bolstering their investments in sustainable sourcing of ingredients and reducing the salt, fat, and sugar content of their products, which is expected to drive the market expansion.

• CONAD
• Unieuro SPA
• Amazon.com, Inc.
• Euronics International
• Amplifon SpA
• Zalando SE
• SELEX Gruppo Commerciale Srl
• Coop
• Carrefour Group
• Esselunga SpA
• Others

The comprehensive report looks into the macro and micro aspects of the market. The EMR report gives an in-depth insight into the market by providing a SWOT analysis as well as an analysis of Porter’s Five Forces model.