During the Christmas holidays, consumer spending saw a significant increase, with a total expenditure of approximately 9 billion euros on food products, gifts, and travel. According to the initial report provided by Confesercenti, the period between December 20 and 30 experienced a rebound in sales, although it did not fully compensate for the slow performance in the earlier part of the month. Local businesses outperformed e-commerce for last-minute purchases, with 78% of enterprises reporting an increase in sales compared to the previous week.
Among the most requested gifts were clothing and accessories, followed by gourmet products and toys. Italian tables were enriched with traditional dishes, with artisanal panettone dominating over industrial sweets. More than 80% of Italians chose to celebrate at home or at relatives’ houses during Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Confesercenti hopes that this acceleration in consumer spending will continue until New Year’s Eve, suggesting that strong sales during this period may herald a positive start to the year for local businesses.
