Consumption slows again in June: -0.7% in value

After four months of prolonged decline, followed by a 1.5% surge in May, June saw consumption return to slightly negative territory , at -0.7% in value terms. Customers are increasingly on the go, making informed purchases while keeping a close eye on their wallets, with no exceptions for luxury goods. This is explained by the Confimprese-Jakala Consumer Observatory, which highlights a stagnant picture, far from the recovery seen in May, as the trend had suggested.

Comparing January-June with the same period in 2024, the data confirms a half-year period that closed at -1.9%. On a positive note, the clothing and accessories sector held up better than expected with a -0.4% decline, while food and beverage declined by -1.9%, and other retail plummeted to -5.4%. In June, the clothing and accessories sector posted a +3.5% increase , which is hard to imagine in the month preceding the sales, which otherwise started strongly at +2.7% thanks to the boom in tourists. The sector's resilience may be linked to weather conditions, which prompted consumers to quickly restock their wardrobes. Food and beverage declined by -2.6% , while other retail sectors (home furnishings, electronics, phones, books, personal care, and fitness) plunged by -9% . Despite the overall negative trend, the sectors related to durable goods and entertainment are experiencing greater difficulty, while personal care fared better. In the overall market context, a certain difficulty for the children's world was noted in the month of June.

Across sales channels , the picture is mixed, with shopping centers recording growth of 1.9% and high streets recording a 6.6% decline. Local stores recorded growth of 0.4%. Regionally, Umbria posted a 2.8% increase and Molise a 5.5% decline. As for the provinces, Aosta posted a 5.2% increase and Isernia a 7% decline. "The data confirms a trend that now appears to be structural," explains Raffaele Cerchiaro , senior partner at Jakala. "Consumers are increasingly selective, attentive, and focused on value and real needs. The volatility of the international market and the climate of economic uncertainty are clearly impacting spending habits, particularly penalizing consumption of non-essential goods."

According to Mario Maiocchi , director of the Confimprese research center, "the enormous political and economic instability, wars, and tariffs, combined with the loss of household spending power, do not suggest a reversal of the trend anytime soon. Companies therefore need to pay close attention to internal efficiency, without, however, neglecting customer service."