Sales are off to a good start: increases from 5 to 10% compared to 2022, shopping in stores and the average receipt are up

MILAN. Good news from traders after the first days of sales. From an analysis conducted by the Confimprese study center in the macro sectors of clothing-accessories and in retail, 90% of those interviewed declare an increase of more than 5% compared to the same period last year. The average receipt also rises, reaching peaks of up to 20%. Italians are once again enlivening the shopping streets, given that purchases in shops and shopping centers are growing “at the expense of online”, the study specifies. In the survey conducted on the first sales weekend, from 5 to 8 January, 85% of entrepreneurs declared an increase of more than 10%. Only 7% of companies see a trend in line with the previous year. However, worries about the future have not completely disappeared. Again according to Confimprese, 83% of non-food retail operators (excluding clothing) will increase price lists and throughout the supply chain “both the trend in energy costs and the Istat increase on the rents of commercial properties weigh ».

Moving to Milan, the departure is also positive in the Lombard capital. From the initial surveys on the first day of sales of the Confcommercio Milano street association network, a 10% growth emerges with an average receipt of 155 euros and an average percentage discount on the balance that is close to 35%. A breath of fresh air for traders: a budget per family of 338 euros and a per capita expenditure of 154 euros during these winter sales. The overall turnover should settle at 403 million euros, explains Federmoda Milano.

«Until the Saturday of the Epiphany long weekend, business went beyond our expectations – says Gabriel Meghnagi, president of the associative street network of Confcommercio Milano – we went even more than +10% in the most commercial streets where tourism has a strong impact , estimated at around 3-4% of the 13% achieved in those days. During this week, even the residential streets reawakened, thanks to the return of all the Milanese who were on holiday outside the city. Even the receipts, having sold many heavy items, such as coats and quilts, are over 155 euros». Meghnagi is also optimistic for the next few months, once the wave of sales has ended: «The forecasts are good, none of us expected such a positive December and early January, we think there will be growth this year by at least 9-10%, succeeding to dispose of many of the stocks. Men’s clothing is also being sold, which was very stagnant: in short, if no other catastrophes happen, we can think of a good 2023».