(Finance) – I data Istat on retail sales in March there was a slight downturn (-0.5%), attributable exclusively to the decline in non-food goods (-0.8%); on the other hand, sales of the goods food. “2022 continues under the sign of uncertainty: the decline in sales in the non-food goods sector is due to a worsening of the climate of confidence of Italian families, influenced by the growth in inflation and by concerns about the future prospects generated by the evolution of the conflict in Ukraine – he commented Carlo Alberto ButtarelliDirector of Relations with the Supply Chain and Research Department of Federdistribuzione -. Even the trend in volume sales in the food sector, considering the inflation of the shopping cart recorded in modern distribution, is already showing a decrease of more than 3% “.
“The effects of the rise in energy bills and the high prices that have been raging in Italy since the beginning of the year have hit trade, leading to a sharp reduction in retail sales – explained the president of Codacons, Carlo Rienzi – Very negative and alarming data, especially as regards the food sector, which recorded sales volume down by -0.6% on a month and even -6% on an annual basis, while in value the data are “doped” by inflationary dynamics “. “The Istat numbers show how Italian families, in order to make it to the end of the month, are forced to cut their spending on food, due to the astronomical increases that have hit the sector and the general impoverishment caused by the expensive bills – added Rienzi – The Government must urgently intervene on the price front and run for cover to save family budgets and avoid a new wave of poverty in Italy ”.
The drop in food sales recorded in March is an alarming fact that must lead the government to adjust the game and take immediate measures, he said instead. Assoutenti commenting on the data released today by Istat. “Compared to last year, the volume of food sales fell by -6%, while in the first quarter of the year it fell by -3.3% – explained the president Furio Truzzi – Numbers that attest to the existence of an emergency on the family front, with citizens forced to reduce consumption even for primary goods such as food. This situation is weighed down by the increases in bills and retail prices, which have a direct impact on the purchases of Italians ”.
“Negative data. The increase on an annual basis is just a mirage, an optical effect due for more than half to inflation and for the other part to the fact that last year was still in full pandemic and many businesses, such as the commercial, they were closed on weekends, “he said Massimiliano Donapresident ofNational Consumers Union. “The only positive aspect is that, according to our study, March sales in value, in the seasonally adjusted data, remain even higher both in comparison with those of February 2020, the last pre-lockdown month, with + 2.6%, which compared to in January 2020, the last pre-pandemic month, with + 3.8%. Sales in positive territory also compared to three years earlier, ie in March 2019, + 4.4% in raw data “, concluded Dona.
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