Quality and after sales service are very important factors when Italians make a purchasing decision. Consumers also like information on the product to be clear. If they can choose, they tend to prefer products "made in Italy"; they are less bothered to know if the material meets environmental criteria. Novelty is welcomed especially in the fashion sector.
Consumer Profile and Purchasing Power
The index of household confidence is deteriorating. The Italians prefer consumption to saving, but high inflation has had a negative influence on their purchasing power. Italian consumers are very demanding in terms of quality but less so regarding the frequency of special offers, loyalty programs, credit possibilities and days and times of opening.
Consumers Associations
ACU, The Italian Association for the consumer and users ADOC, The Italian Association for the defense and orientation of the consumer
Italian retail trade represents a turnover of more than 300 billion EUR. For a long time, Italian industries were not competitive enough, and this led the Italian government to set up import barriers. The Italian population is traditionally attached to local shops. Modern distribution made its appearance a few years ago with the rise of large international groups such as Auchan/Rinascente or Carrefour who took advantage of a relaxing of legislation concerning setting up business, made necessary by European harmonization.
Market Shares
The leading distributor in Italy is the Coop Italia group which is based on a network of more than 1 000 outlets in Italy and which had 17.7% of market share in 2004. Carrefour Italia had 10% and Auchan/Rinascente 9.5%. Generally speaking, foreign names represent 47% of hypermarkets. In 2004, there were 469 hypermarkets, 990 supermarkets, and 6 627 small supermarkets. The foodstuff distribution market is very concentrated as the leading 10 groups have 77% of market share. However, there is an imbalance between the north and the south of the country, however: more than 50% of supermarkets and 65% of hypermarkets are concentrated in the north. As a result, the large groups will have to concentrate their efforts on the southern part of the country.
As it is a member of the European Union, Italy applies the Community regulations which are valid throughout the Union.
If the EU has quite a liberal foreign trade policy, there are a certain number of restrictions, especially at the level of agricultural products, ensuing from the implementation of the CAP (Common Agricultural Policy): applying compensations when importing and exporting agricultural products to favor the development of agriculture within the EU implies a certain number of systems to control and regulate goods entering EU territory. Moreover, for sanitary reasons, with regards to Genetically Modified Organisms, if they are allowed in Europe, their presence must, for example, be systematically specified on packaging. Importing beef fed on hormones is also prohibited. The principle of precaution is now more widely favored: in case of doubt, import is prohibited until the non- noxiousness of the goods is proved.
Customs Duties and Taxes on Imports
While the principle of free movement of goods forms the internal part of the Customs Union, the CCT forms the external part as it enables uniform Customs duties to be applied to products from third party countries, whichever Member State is the country of destination. Duties for countries outside Europe are not very high, especially for industrial products (4.2% on average for the general tariff).
Customs Classification
Italy uses the harmonized system.
Import Procedures
Import procedures are subject to a declaration on-line or on paper. You will find further information on the Agenzia delle Dogane (Customs Agency) website.
As part of the "SAFE" standards advocated by the World Customs Organization (WCO), the European Union has set up a new system of import controls, the "Import Control System" (ICS), which aims to secure the flow of goods at the time of their entry into the customs territory of the EU. This control system, part of the Community Program eCustomer, has been in effect since January 1, 2011. Since then, operators are required to pass an Entry Summary Declaration (ENS) to the customs of the country of entry, prior to the introduction of goods into the customs territory of the European Union.
Importing Samples
The inscription "no a la vente" (not for sale) is compulsory on commercial samples.
The specialized port sector (containers) is in full expansion in Italy, someting that is proven by the presence of nine Italian ports in the ranking of the thirty main ports in the European Union, in terms of container traffic. The role of sea transport has been expanded in Italy and in trade inside the Community thanks to the project of "sea highways" in the framework of the development of the trans-European transport network.
Every year, 750,000 tonnes of freight transit via the two international airports of Roma Fiumicino and Milano Malpensa.
Goods transport by road represent 1,243 million tonnes each year.
The Italian rail network carries 87 million tonnes of goods every year in Italy.
The industrial sector represents 26.9% of Italian GDP.
Business Directories
Multi-sector Directories
ItalianTech.com - The business directory of the Italian electrotechnical, electronics and ICT companies. Members of AiceBiz.com - "Italian companies that are committed predominantly to commercial activities abroad: trading, export, import, countertrade, buying-offices, export management, small and medium enterprises, etc; as well as the services related to such activities." All.biz - Italy - Directory of companies in Italy. Guida Monaci - Search a business in Italy. Infoimprese.it - Italy's business directory of the Chamber of Commerce. ItalTrade.com - "The ""Made in Italy"" business directory." Itbizlist - Directory for international business. Lazio Imprese - Companies search engine. MacRAE'S Blue Book - Business directory with detailed information of companies in Europe. Made in Vicenza - Catalogue of exporters in the province of Vicenza, Italy. MIMOL World - Listing of companies in Italy providing international products and services. National Association of Italian Buying Offices - Members Directory - List of Italian purchasing agents. Sireh.com - Directory of companies in Italy. The Yellow Pages of Italy - Find a business in Italy.
Italy: Selling and Buying
