Shopfully: Italy more open to the data-value exchange than the European average

Growing concern about purchasing power is transforming the relationship between consumers, data and advertising, increasingly steering it towards practical approaches and genuine usefulness.

This is what emerges from The State of Shopping 2026, the annual report by Shopfully – an Italian tech company active across Europe in drive to store that connects millions of consumers with the physical shops around them – conducted in eight European countries, including Italy.

The resulting picture is clear: Italians are open to data sharing and commercial communication, but only in return for a tangible benefit. Relevance is therefore no longer an option, but the prerequisite for earning attention, trust and consent.

One in two Italians is ready to share their data

In Italy, almost one in two consumers (49%) says they are willing to share their data with retailers and brands in exchange for more relevant promotions or tangible discounts. This figure is significantly higher than the European average (29%), confirming a strong openness to the data-value exchange. However, alongside this willingness, there is marked polarisation: 29% of Italians completely reject data sharing.

Moreover, a significant proportion makes consent conditional on specific requirements, such as being able to clearly understand how the information is used (17%) or easily manage and withdraw their consent (17%), confirming growing attention to control and privacy. Willingness to share data increases when the benefit is concrete and immediate; consent is therefore increasingly tied to the ability of brands and retailers to clearly demonstrate the real value of using data.

Personalised advertising: relevant to half of Italians, intrusive for more than a third

Offers and personalised advertising receive widespread but not uniform approval: 51% of Italians view them positively, while more than a third (36%) perceive them as intrusive or actively avoid them. The figure highlights a delicate balance for brands and retailers: data-driven personalisation is effective when it is genuinely relevant and useful throughout the purchasing journey, but risks generating rejection when content does not respond to concrete needs.

Rather than being an objective in itself, personalisation therefore becomes a tool to be deployed precisely, clearly demonstrating the value for the consumer at every stage of the purchasing journey.

For retailers and brands, the ability of advertising to make a concrete contribution to purchasing decisions is therefore crucial. According to the Shopfully report, in Italy 55% of consumers consider it useful when it helps them discover promotions that would otherwise go unnoticed, a figure slightly below the European average (59%) and distant from markets such as France (70%) and Romania (73%), confirming greater selectivity.

Alongside this factor, 22% say they appreciate messages based on their needs, while 19% value those that support purchase planning. Advertising is therefore effective when it fits into the purchasing journey with relevant content capable of generating immediate value for the consumer.

Focusing on relevant content

This therefore necessitates a change in approach: not increasing communication pressure, but focusing on relevant and contextualised content capable of guiding consumers throughout the decision-making journey.

“The openness of Italians to data sharing, which is higher than the European average, demonstrates that there is a genuine willingness to build a relationship with brands and retailers based on an exchange of value,” said Marco Durante, global vp sales & marketing at Shopfully. “When almost one in two consumers is ready to share their information in exchange for more relevant offers, it becomes clear how transparency, control and usefulness have become decisive factors. For retailers and brands, the challenge is to evolve from a logic of simple exposure to an active role in the decision-making process, offering content capable of guiding choices and having a tangible impact on purchasing behaviour.”

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.