Overview
- In the coordinated calendar, Valle d’Aosta began on January 2, most regions start January 3, Liguria opens January 5, and Trento and Bolzano follow autonomous rules.
- Confcommercio projects €4.9 billion with about 16 million families and €137 per person, while Confesercenti estimates up to €6 billion.
- Roughly 2 million shoppers bought during post‑Christmas pre-sales, and industry groups warn that continuous promotions are eroding transparency and the purpose of official sales.
- Retailers must show the original price, the discounted price and the percentage, with the reference price being the lowest applied in the 30 days before sales.
- Surveys indicate 92% interest but 53% will buy only if the deal is right, with physical stores preferred by 87% of interested shoppers and online purchases complementing them; in-store returns aren’t automatic, while online buyers generally have 14 days to withdraw.