The annual Retail Summit, took place on June 19 in Baveno, Italy, hosted by Confimprese in collaboration with JAKALA and TIG – The Innovation Group. The 2025 edition reaffirmed the summit’s status as a key moment for assessing the direction of one of the most dynamic sectors of the Italian economy.
Data from the Confimprese-JAKALA Research Center: resilience and employment growth
At the heart of the discussion, insights from the Confimprese-JAKALA Research Center, which revealed a retail sector that is proving resilient and poised for renewed growth, despite persistent global instability. According to the mid-year analysis, a total of 5,580 new store openings are expected by the end of 2025 (in line with 2024 figures), with 1,278 in the foodservice segment, 2,282 in apparel and accessories, and 2,020 in other retail categories. This expansion is also expected to drive employment, with over 33,000 new jobs projected for the year 2025.
Consumption slowdown, but organized retail networks drive the rebound
Despite a -2.0% decline in consumer spending during the first months of 2025 (compared to the same period in 2024), partially recovered to -0.2% in May, the sector continues to demonstrate adaptability. Organized retail chains are leading the way by investing in scalable, efficient, and innovation-oriented growth models.
Urgent policy support needed to sustain growth
As Mario Resca, President of Confimprese, emphasized:
Retail companies are showing relative resilience amid today’s disorientation, especially after a decade marked by multiple shocks, from the pandemic to energy crises and inflation. The current figures align with 2024 and show no significant decline. That said, government support is essential: reducing the tax wedge, incentivizing employment, including seasonal hiring, and curbing energy costs, especially for the foodservice sector, must be a priority.
JAKALA: Artificial Intelligence as a catalyst for efficient and relevant retail
The summit also highlighted the strategic importance of technology, especially Artificial Intelligence, in enabling future growth.
Marco Di Dio Roccazzella, Managing Director and Global Retail & Consumer Leader at JAKALA, explained:
In today’s fast-changing landscape, retailers that successfully balance efficiency with engagement are the ones best positioned for long-term success. Supporting them in this challenge is our International Center of Excellence on Artificial Intelligence, a specialized unit that helps boost operational efficiency across supply chains, cost optimization, and pricing strategies, while also enhancing engagement through personalized experiences, dynamic pricing, and geo-targeted communications. The ability to manage this dynamic equilibrium is what truly sets leaders apart in today’s market.
The TIG perspective: understanding change to lead
Emilio Mango, General Manager of The Innovation Group, echoed this view and underscored the transformational impact of AI on consumer behavior:
Digital technology is creating a new moment of discontinuity—comparable to the impact of the internet, especially through AI and its influence on content creation, creativity, time management, and daily decision-making. At TIG, we’ve always been committed to analyzing these trends to empower companies and consumers to actively shape, rather than passively undergo, change. The 20% increase in participation at this year’s Retail Summit confirms the retail ecosystem’s growing desire to understand and respond to these forces with insight and vision.
With its growing relevance and strong participation, the Retail Summit 2025 reaffirmed JAKALA’s role as a strategic partner for companies navigating the future of retail. A future that will demand not only technological infrastructure but also cultural transformation—to ensure relevance, resilience, and sustainable growth in a rapidly evolving landscape.
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