Confimprese and Jakala: 6.000 openings by the end of the year
Confimprese and Jakala: 6.000 openings by the end of the year
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Optimism about new openings from Confimprese and Jakala: retail confirms the forecasts made at the beginning of the year, which spoke of 6.000 openings.
New jobs will be more than 35.000, according to 85% of respondents belonging to the social base of the confederation.
Confimprese: turnover is still modest
As for the turnover expected by the end of 2026, expectations remain essentially stable and indicate growth of 0,5% by the end of December 2026, therefore a still modest figure.
The estimates emerged on 2 July in Baveno, on the Piedmont shore of Lake Maggiore, where the annual Retail Summit was held, organised by Confimprese, Jakala and Tig-The innovation group.
The six-month analysis, divided evenly among food service, clothing-accessories and other retail (home and furnishings, electronics, telecommunications and personal care), shows that, despite the uncertainties on the international stage, business owners have not changed their strategies for expanding their networks in the three macro-sectors.
In other words, development plans are still a strategic lever for the medium and long term: the majority continue to invest to strengthen their presence in the market.
Investments with a five-year outlook
Companies plan openings with a timeframe ranging from 3 to 5 years, which explains the difference between fluctuating consumer trends and expansion forecasts both in Italy and abroad.
And while end customers’ demand is weak today, companies consider the market, especially the domestic market, attractive in the medium term.
Among the product sectors, food service is betting on 1.718 openings, clothing-accessories expects 1.353, and other retail, which after the long downturn of 2025—due to the rebound in post-Covid sales—is regaining momentum, forecasts 2.892 new shops.
Of course, says the Confimprese research department, openings are no longer growing at the rates seen in the pre-pandemic years and ending 2026 with a confirmation is an act of faith in the future and in the resilience of retail itself.
Clear skies return in May: consumption rises for Confimprese
The weakness in consumption with which the first four months of this year began also leaves room for improvement, with May at +3,7%, bringing the overall result for the 12 months into positive territory. It is a welcome respite after the negative performances.
Also in May, among the product sectors, clothing-accessories, contrary to expectations, recorded the best performance, with +6,2%. Next came food service at +4,5%, while the remaining sector fell by 0,4%.
Shopping centres and local retail clearly in positive territory
As for formats, shopping centres recorded a good result, at +5,2%, local shops ended at +3,9%, while high streets, after a negative first four months, stood at +0,8% (Confimprese-Jakala Permanent Observatory on Consumption).
If the turnover forecasts for the end of 2026, as mentioned, show a positive difference of half a percentage point, signalling continued caution, the differences between the three sectors are also limited: from other retail (+2%) to clothing-accessories (-2%) to food service (+0,3%).
Good news also on the international expansion front, seen by retailers as a structural lever for growth and geographical diversification.
The high proportion of companies that confirm or increase openings stands at 85%, demonstrating that development opportunities in foreign markets continue to outweigh the perceived risks.
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This article was translated from the original Italian version with the assistance of artificial intelligence. In case of discrepancies, please refer to the original Italian version.
