The summer sales also start tomorrow in Sicily and will continue until September 15th. Based on estimates based on national data from Confcommercio and taking into account the different purchasing power of Sicilian families, an average expenditure of around 170 euros per family is expected on the island (75 euros per capita), for a total purchasing volume of around 350 million euros. “The start of the sales represents a fundamental event for the trade and economy of our cities – comments Patrizia Di Dio, president of Confcommercio Palermo and national vice-president of Federmoda Italia -. This period can represent a small but important breath of fresh air for many companies that arrive at this event after extremely difficult months and will offer consumers the opportunity to purchase quality products at particularly affordable prices”. “The sales – adds Di Dio – also represent an opportunity to rediscover the value of conscious purchasing. Choosing a quality item, relying on trusted shops, receiving advice, assistance and transparency means not only making a better purchase, but supporting local businesses that keep our urban centers alive every day, create employment and guarantee an important social support.”
However, the president of Confcommercio Palermo draws attention to the situation of the sector. «We cannot delude ourselves that the balances are sufficient to reverse a crisis that has lasted for years. Proximity retail and the fashion sector are experiencing one of the most difficult phases in their history, with an unprecedented contraction in consumption especially for small neighborhood shops which need to rethink themselves and find new formulas and highlight their specific identity to be attractive. Furthermore, Federmoda and Confcommercio ask for concrete and timely measures to support companies in the sector”, he concludes.