Italian retail sales strengthened at the start of 2026, with year-over-year growth rising to 2.3% in January, up from 1.1% in December 2025. The latest figures, updated on 5 March 2026, indicate a notable acceleration in consumer spending compared with the same month a year earlier.
On a year-over-year basis, the December 2025 reading of 1.1% reflected a modest increase in retail activity versus December 2024. January’s 2.3% gain shows that Italian retailers entered 2026 with improved momentum, suggesting more robust demand relative to January 2025.
The data, which compare each reported month with the corresponding month a year before, will be closely watched by investors and policymakers as a gauge of domestic consumption trends in Italy’s economy.
