Less savings but more travel: how is Italians’ spending changing?

The economic impact in Italy of crisis in the Middle East is unequivocal: the monthly Observatory Findomestic of April finds that for 64 Italians out of 100 this is the right time to evaluate more carefully the energy contracts and reduce future risks as the bogeyman ofinflation as the first concern, which rises to the highest level since December 2023.

And give

Only 20% of consumers consider this a good time to shop. A context that does not help families: 44% define themselves as being in a problematic economic situation and 4 out of 10 Italians have not been able to save in the last ten months. Purchase intentions, however, fell by only 1.1% compared to the previous month despite already being at low levels over the last year.

A signal of trust is the constant of voyage which continues to drive consumer projects despite the complicated scenario. “More than a month after the attack on Iran, economic fear is the factor that affects Italians the most” comments Claudio Bardazzi, head of the Findomestic Observatory.

“Growing price expectations make families more cautious, but the stability of purchasing intentions should support demand. The plan remains and can be implemented if the offer manages to reassure and give certainty to the consumer, for example on the energy front with proposals for fixed-cost energy contracts or practical solutions to improve the energy efficiency of the home”. T

Habits and holidays: Italians do not give up travelling

Almost one Italian in two (46%) claims to have changed some habits due to the war in Iranespecially by paying more attention to fuel savinggrocery prices and the containment of unnecessary expenses. And if more than 6 in 10 (64%) think above all about changing the current energy contracts, on the holiday front the desire to leave still prevails despite the security and cost problems triggered by the Middle Eastern conflict.

Summer holidays

In view of the next summer holidays, only 14% have decided to give up, 51% have not changed their plans, 35% are reviewing them, orienting their choice of destination mainly towards Italy but also towards Northern/Central Europe and the western part of the Mediterranean.

Purchase intentions: they hold technology and home, slow down energy

On the front of purchase intentions in three months, the April Findomestic Observatory notes a limited drop of 1.1% despite the particularly complex context. Travel continues to lead the ranking: 61% of Italians declare that they intend to purchase it in the next three months, up 4.1 percentage points compared to the previous month.

On the positive side DIY equipment (indicated by 34% of those interviewed) and up by 1.2 points, while small household appliances are at 33%, down by 1.7 points. Telephony is also in positive territory with 29% of Italians planning a purchase (+2.8 points), and mobilewhich reach 27% with an increase of 1.7 points. Sports equipment is stable, affecting 28% of those interviewed (-0.5 points).

TV and PC rise to 24% and 23% respectively, with increases of 2.5 and 0.5 points, while the large applianceswhich 20% of the sample would like to buy over the next 3 months, fell by 2 points and reached a negative record for a year. However, with the good weather the desire to renovate grows (18% of those interviewed) with an increase of 2.2 points.

I tablet they stop at 15% and lose 1 point, while cameras rise to 14% with an improvement of 0.6 points. Used cars and fixtures both stand at 12%, but with divergent trends: the former grows by 1.4 points, the latter drops by 1.6. Even the new car stops at 12% of the declared intentions, down by 2 points.

However, purchasing intentions in the sectors linked to energy efficiency and light mobility are weaker. Photovoltaic and thermal stable at 9%, while condensing or biomass boilers and heat pumps, both at 9%, lose 0.7 and 1.2 points respectively. Thermal insulation also drops, to 8% with a decrease of 1.9 points.

Among the means of alternative mobility, e-bikes stand at 7% and fall by 2.2 points, motor vehicles stop at 6% with a slight decline of 0.4 points, while electric scooters and similar products, which 5% of Italians think of purchasing, lose 1 point. (AGI)Gin