The desire to go on vacation knocks out purchases of other durable goods

The desire to go on vacation knocks out families' purchasing intentions. In fact, according to the Findomestic Observatory updated in June, created in collaboration with Eumetra, 56% of Italians have already spent money to book their vacations, postponing other important purchases. Thus, June saw a 17.4% drop in intentions compared to the previous month and all the sectors monitored are in negative territory. This is the worst data of the last twelve months, which shows a reversal of the trend compared to the climate of confidence recorded only a few weeks ago and which is also affected by the fact that over half of Italians have already incurred significant expenses to plan their summer vacations.

Holidays that will be shorter and with an average cost of around 200 euros less than last year. In fact, Italian families are acting with greater caution in view of the summer holidays: 28% have already planned them, another 28% are organizing them in these weeks, another 26% say they have not yet decided and 18% think they will not go at all. Among those who have chosen to give up, the main reasons are the drop in family income (39%), unexpected expenses (21%) and the recent rise in prices (21%). For those who will go, the holidays will be shorter than last year: 43% will take around a week, 27% only a few weekends or a few days, while only 22% plan a break of 10-15 days and just 8% will go beyond 15 days. The average expected expenditure is also decreasing: 1,594 euros per family compared to 1,785 last year, and for those composed of four or more people it stands at 1,741 euros compared to 1,923 in 2024. About 8 families out of 10 will remain in Italy, 6 out of 10 will go to the seaside and focus on relaxation while just over one in 5 will opt for cultural or adventure holidays. "At this time of year, Italian families - comments Claudio Bardazzi, head of the Findomestic Observatory - avoid considering significant expenses, better to postpone them to be able to guarantee at least a few days of vacation. Holidays that are expected to be characterized by "hit and run" and prudence in consumption, also because over 6 Italians out of 10 perceive further price increases, especially in bars and restaurants but also for hotels and beach resorts".

Holiday spending takes almost absolute precedence over other purchases. Thus, purchase intentions range from -2% recorded for heat pumps, up to -29.8% for home thermal insulation. Particularly significant are the drops related to household goods, such as furniture (-24.2%), renovations (-20.2%) and large household appliances (-10.8%). The mobility sector also suffers a setback, with new cars down -17.2%, motorcycles at -26.1% and electric bicycles (e-bikes) at -12.7%. The only exception is the electric scooter (or similar), which grows by 41.2%, proving to be a popular mobility solution in the city.