Black Friday trends in Italy

Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, is marketed as the busiest shopping day of the year in the United States and, in recent years,  has established itself as one of the best-known shopping holidays in the world. In 2021 in the European Union, 61 percent of shoppers intended to make purchases online and in-store during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the Monday after Thanksgiving, according to Statista, a German database company. 

Black Friday is a relatively new phenomenon in Italy but is quickly gaining popularity. A 2022 Statista survey shows that 40 percent of Italian Generation Z consumers affirmed they would shop during the Black Friday sales and 54 percent of shoppers in Italy stated they are planning on shopping both online and offline this holiday season. Furthermore, 70 percent of Italian consumers noted they usually purchase electronics during Black Friday deals. 

This American shopping holiday contrasts with the country’s traditional saldi (sales), which date back to the fascist regime of the 1930s and 1940s, according to Italy Magazine. These sales take place in a region-by-region timeframe, seasonally outlined by the business confederation Confocommercio during two periods: between the first Saturday of January until February 28, and the first Saturday of July until August 31. 

While the Black Friday mania in Italy is steadily increasing with each year, reports indicate that this year’s holiday spending will pale in comparison to the previous years. According to a new report titled the Italy Shopping Outlook, released by consulting firm Bain&Company Italy, in collaboration with the survey platform Toluna, 90 percent of Italians are concerned about the rising cost of living. The report surveyed over 1,000 adult Italian consumers regarding the upcoming holiday season. Around 80 percent of the respondents said they would decrease their spending this year in response to increased fears surrounding climate change and the war in Ukraine.