To April 2025 the retail sales In Italy they record a net improvement Compared to the previous month and show a strong increase also on an annual basis.
This is what theIstat in his report on retail trade, which shows a positive conjunctural variation of +0.7% in value and of the +0.5% in volume.
Easter pushes food consumption
On a tendential basis (compared to April 2024), the growth is even more marked: +3.7% in value And +1.9% in volumemarking the most significant annual increase since June 2023.
The positive performance is driven almost entirely by the food sector, which in April benefited from the coincidence with the Easter holidays Which in 2025 were celebrated right in April (Easter 20 April and Easter Monday 21 April, in addition to the bridge of April 25 in which many took advantage to make picnic or barbecue). In 2024 the Easter holidays fell in late March. Sales of food thus mark a leap of +8.6% in value and +5.4% in volume, compared to the same month of the previous year. Also on a monthly basis, the food sector is growing, with a +1.3% in value and a +0.9% in volume compared to March.
Bread, pasta and milk increasingly expensive
The Istat data is intertwined with that detected by Study Center of Unimpresawhich shows that in recent years the prices of essential food goods such as bread, milk and pasta have recorded a record increase: the bread has redeemed up to +62% since 2012 milk (up to +20%) e pasta (it touched +38% in just one year).
The causes have been known for some time: war in Ukraine, energy crisis, drought in exporting countries, with a surge in production costs, speculation on the markets of raw materials.
In 2024 and 2025, it was highlighted, the prices stabilized without however returning to the pre-crisis levels: today A kilo of bread It costs on average between 4.5 and 5.5 euros.
Non -food goods slightly decreasing
Returning to the Istat report, it is noted that the data relating to the non -food goodswhich record a slight contraction. Compared to April 2024, sales drop by -0.4% in value and -0.8% in volume. The tendential variations within the sector are heterogeneous: perfumery products and personal care are growing (+3.4%) and photo-optics and musical instruments (+3.2%). On the other hand, the sales of footwear, leather and travel items (-3.9%) and games, toys, sports and camping items (-3.5%) are in decline.
Large growing distribution
The analysis by distribution channel shows a positive dynamic in the large organized distributionwhich records an increase of +6.8% compared to April 2024. Companies operating on small surfaces, such as shops and minimarkets, also slightly growing, which mark a +0.9%. The growth in large retailers suggests a greater propensity for shopping in larger and organized structures at the expense of smaller shops.
The opposite sign the progress of sales outside traditional stores (-0.1%) and, more markedly, of electronic commercewhich flexs -0.7% on an annual basis. The drop in ecommerce could indicate a momentary turnaround with respect to the peaks reached in past years.
Stability in the quarterly framework
In the quarter February-April 2025retail sales show substantial value stability (+0.1%) and a slight drop in volume (-0.4%). In this period, food goods grow by +0.4% in value but descend -0.2% in volume, while non-food goods are decreasing both in value (-0.2%) and in volume (-0.5%).
