In 2023, the number of enterprises in Italy's sector for retail sale in non-specialized stores with food, beverages, or tobacco predominating was 22.0 thousand. Forecasts from 2024 to 2028 predict a steady decline, with the sector reducing to 13.57 thousand enterprises by 2028. Illustrating this trend, the year-on-year percentage decrease from 2024 to 2025 is approximately 8.6%, from 2025 to 2026 is 9.3%, from 2026 to 2027 is 10.1%, and from 2027 to 2028 is 11.2%. The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over this five-year period reflects an average decrease of about 8.9% per year.
Future trends to watch include the continuing consolidation of retail enterprises as market conditions and rising costs pressure smaller businesses, and the potential shifts towards e-commerce and digital retailing. Monitoring changes in consumer behavior and regulatory impacts will be crucial for further analysis of this sector.
