According to the report from Istat, in December 2019 estimates of retail trade increased both in value and in volume terms by 0.5% in the month-on-month series.

In the 4th Quarter of 2019 estimates show there was no growth, as the value of sales remained stable and the volume of sales was up 0.1% compared with the previous Quarter.

Year-on-year both value and volume of retail trade rose for the seventh consecutive month in December 2019, increasing by 0.9% and 0.6% respectively.

Total sales of large scale distribution slightly increased by 0.1% from December 2018, while small scale distribution decreased by 0.9%.

In the year-on-year series, online sales largely increased in December 2019, reaching its highest peak in the year 2019 at 38.3%.

With regard to non-food products, the largest growths were reported for Computers and telecommunications equipment (+6.6%) and Shoes, leather goods and travel items (+6.1%), while the largest falls reported concerned Pharmaceutical products (-2.5%) and Stationary, books, newspapers and magazines (-1.9%).

Looking at annual growth rates of retail trade, the whole of 2019 increased by 0.8% (both value and volume). Internet sales saw significant growth in 2019, rising at a rapid rate by 18.4% from the previous year.