In April 2025, retail sales in Italy showed a positive trend, with a quarterly increase of 0,7% in value and 0,5% in volume compared to the previous month. According to data released by Istat, both product categories are growing: food products are up 1,3% in value and 0,9% in volume, while non-food products are growing more modestly (+0,2% and +0,3%).
In the February-April quarter, the trend was more moderate: +0,1% in value but -0,4% in volume, due to the decline in sales of non-food goods in both value (-0,2%) and volume (-0,5%). On a year-over-year basis, compared to April 2024, there was an increase of 3,7% in value and 1,9% in volume. Growth was driven almost exclusively by food products, which expanded strongly with +8,6% in value and +5,4% in volume, thanks in part to the boost from Easter purchases, which fell in April this year. Non-food goods, on the other hand, declined (-0,4% in value and -0,8% in volume).
Among non-food categories, increases were seen for perfumery and personal care products (+3,4%) and for photo-optical and musical instruments (+3,2%), while footwear (-3,9%) and sporting and leisure goods (-3,5%) declined sharply. Sales increased in large-scale retail trade (+6,8%) and, to a lesser extent, in small retail outlets (+0,9%), while e-commerce (-0,7%) and out-of-store sales (-0,1%) declined. According to ISTAT, this is the strongest year-on-year increase in value since June 2023.
