Italy's retail sales stable in July; online sales rise 2.9 per cent

Italy’s retail sector showed signs of stagnation in July 2025 as seasonally adjusted sales stayed flat in value and slipped 0.2 per cent in volume compared with June, according to Istituto Nazionale di Statistica (Istat) data.

Over the three months to July, sales were marginally higher—up 0.6 per cent in value and 0.1 per cent in volume—suggesting consumers remain cautious amid inflationary pressures and weak purchasing power.

On an annual basis, July retail sales grew 1.8 per cent in value but were unchanged in volume, indicating that price increases rather than higher demand continue to drive growth. Large-scale distribution channels such as supermarkets and hypermarkets outperformed, with sales up 2.8 per cent, while small-scale retail rose 0.6 per cent and non-store sales increased 0.9 per cent.

E-commerce remained resilient, recording a 2.9 per cent year-on-year (YoY) rise, underscoring the ongoing shift in consumer behaviour toward digital channels, Istat said in a release.

Among non-food product categories, YoY performance was mixed, reflecting uneven consumer demand across different segments of the retail market.

ALCHEMPro News Desk (HU)