Brick-and-mortar stores in Italy have undergone a profound transformation in recent years: a sharp reduction in small shops, with sales areas up to 50 square meters, and an increase in large sales areas.
This is according to a report by Confesercenti , which places Sardinia among the regions where the expansion of the total retail space of physical stores has stalled the most in recent years. Looking at the numbers, Sardinia's average retail space growth stands at +0.8%, compared to a 19.5% decline in the number of stores . In addition to Sardinia, significant reductions were recorded in Puglia, Basilicata, and Valle d'Aosta. Conversely, the most significant growth in total retail space between 2011 and 2025 was recorded in Emilia-Romagna and Abruzzo. Lazio and Campania also saw an increase in retail space despite a decline in the number of stores.
At the national level, Confesercenti writes in a statement, recent years have seen a process of "restructuring" commercial establishments toward a "medium format." Indeed, "the number of small shops and micro-stores is decreasing, while large retail spaces are shrinking. The result, in any case, is a reduction in the number of points of sale: between 2011 and 2025, over 103,000 shops disappeared in Italy. However, overall retail space increased by 7.4% over the same period, thanks precisely to the expansion of the average retail space."
"These numbers tell us that physical retail isn't simply 'declining': it's reorganizing ," comments Nico Gronchi, president of Confesercenti . He adds: "Medium-sized stores are growing, but the extremes are receding: micro and small formats are disappearing, and large-scale retail outlets are downsizing. Reorganization, however, comes at a cost, and the victims are small, independent businesses, those whose size guaranteed specialization—toys, hardware, local groceries—and which constitute a point of reference for the community. This requires policies that combine two objectives: stopping desertification and supporting the growth and evolution of those who can invest and innovate. Urban regeneration is the meeting point. "We need," Gronchi concludes, "to bring functions back to neighborhoods, make streets accessible and attractive, and provide concrete tools for businesses."
(Unioneonline/lf)
