Italy – Retail and Consumer Issues

What are the typical shop opening hours in Italy, and do they vary by day, region, or shop type?

Italian retail still follows a deeply traditional schedule, especially outside the country’s major urban centres. Most shops unlock their doors around 9:00 or 10:00 in the morning, then shut for a midday break that typically runs from 1:00 to 4:00 PM, before reopening through to about 7:30 or 8:00 PM. This two-shift system — widely known as the pausa pranzo — frequently surprises expats who are accustomed to continuous all-day retail trading.

Many independent shops remain closed on Sundays and on Monday mornings, although schedules in city centres and tourist destinations tend to be considerably more accommodating. Following a liberalisation process that culminated in 2012, commercial premises and food retailers may now operate without time restrictions and are not obliged to close on Sundays or public holidays. Despite this, a great many small independent retailers continue to observe the traditional hours by choice.

Certain types of businesses — hair salons, beauty studios, and jewellers among them — may still close for the whole of Monday or just the morning. This is rooted in long-established trade custom rather than any legal obligation, so it is always advisable to check the hours of a specific shop before making a special trip.

Supermarkets operate quite differently from smaller independent stores. Most open at 8:00 AM and close at 8:00 PM or later; in cities, some stay open until 10:00 PM or around the clock. Supermarkets are generally open on Sundays, though rural branches may operate on reduced hours.

There are notable differences between regions and city sizes. In larger cities such as Venice, Verona, and Padova, extended opening hours and more days of trading are common. Smaller towns, however, tend to maintain more conservative schedules, including afternoon closures and limited Sunday trading.

Shops and offices across Italy are closed on the following public holidays: 1 January (New Year’s Day), 6 January (Epiphany), Easter Sunday and Monday, 25 April (Liberation Day), 1 May (Labour Day), 15 August (Assumption of the Virgin), 1 November (All Saints’ Day), 8 December (Immaculate Conception), and 25–26 December. Many towns also observe a local holiday on the feast day of their patron saint.

What forms of payment are typically accepted in Italy?

Italy’s approach to payments has undergone a substantial transformation in a relatively short space of time. Card payments now represent 43% of all consumer transactions compared to 41% for cash, and total contactless spending hit €291 billion in 2024 — a rise of 19% on the previous year. This marks a striking cultural shift for a country that was long associated with a strong preference for physical currency.

According to the Visa Annual Observatory, the proportion of Italians who regularly use digital payment tools grew from 17% in 2021 to 44% in 2023, signalling that digital transactions have moved firmly into mainstream daily life.

Mobile wallet applications enjoy widespread acceptance at major retailers. Google Wallet and Apple Pay are both popular choices in Italy, while PayPal ranks as the most commonly used mobile payment app in the country. PostePay — the prepaid card issued by Italy’s national postal service — is used by around 35% of consumers, many of whom favour it over credit cards because of its straightforward setup and security features. If you intend to shop online frequently, obtaining or linking a PostePay account is worth considering.

Italy has reinforced the move towards electronic payments by prohibiting surcharges on card transactions and introducing penalties for businesses that refuse card payments. In practice, however, very small or remote businesses may still expect cash — especially for low-value purchases. Keeping a modest cash reserve of €20–€50 remains a sensible precaution for markets, small bars, and rural areas.

On the subject of tipping: Italian tipping culture is informal and tipping is by no means obligatory. In restaurants, rounding up the bill or leaving a small amount is a gesture of appreciation rather than an expectation. In shops, tipping does not occur at all. Many sit-down restaurants add a coperto (cover charge) of €1–€3 per person to the bill; this is a standard table service fee, not a tip.

What are the main supermarkets in Italy, and how do they compare on price and quality?

Italy’s supermarket sector is well developed and encompasses chains at budget, mid-range, and premium price points. Unlike some national markets dominated by just two or three major operators, Italy features a combination of large national retailers and vigorous regional players, so the options available to you will vary considerably depending on where you settle.

The principal national chains include:

• Esselunga — Generally regarded as the premium end of the Italian supermarket spectrum, with a concentration of stores in northern Italy (Lombardy, Tuscany, Piedmont, Liguria, Veneto, and Emilia-Romagna). The chain is known for excellent fresh produce, a strong deli counter, and a well-regarded own-brand range — broadly comparable to a Waitrose or upmarket Woolworths in terms of positioning.
• Conad — One of the country’s largest retail cooperatives, with stores spread across Italy. Positioned firmly in the mid-market, it offers solid quality and competitive pricing alongside a broad product selection, and is found in both large and small towns throughout the country.
• Coop — Italy’s most extensive supermarket group by number of stores, structured as a consumer cooperative. Also mid-market in positioning, with a particular emphasis on Italian-produced goods and a well-regarded own-label range. The Coop private label is considered good value.
• Carrefour — Available in formats ranging from large hypermarkets to smaller Carrefour Express convenience outlets. Mid-range pricing; a familiar name for expats arriving from France, Spain, or other European countries where the brand is established.
• Lidl and Eurospin — The budget end of the Italian market. Both follow the limited-range, own-brand model familiar from discount retailers across Europe. Eurospin is an Italian chain with particular strength in central and southern Italy.
• Pam/Panorama — A mid-range chain primarily found across northern and central Italy.

Regional operators are a significant part of the landscape. In southern Italy and Sicily, Despar and IN’S Mercato are widely present. In Puglia and Campania, Dok and smaller regional cooperatives feature prominently. Sardinia is served by a combination of national chains and local operators. Expats living in smaller towns may find that their nearest supermarket is a regional cooperative with a more limited international range — a factor worth considering when thinking about sourcing specialist products (see the following section).

For day-to-day grocery shopping, most expats find that mid-range chains such as Conad or Coop deliver the most satisfactory combination of price, quality, and range. Fresh bread, fruit, vegetables, and deli counter items are generally of excellent quality across all chains. The range becomes narrower in smaller stores when it comes to processed or packaged goods from other countries.

Where can expats find international or home-country products in Italy?

Italy’s food culture is both rich and remarkably self-contained, which means that the shelves of a standard Italian supermarket are predominantly stocked with Italian products. Expats seeking ingredients associated with Asian, South American, Middle Eastern, Eastern European, or other cuisines will generally need to visit specialist shops.

In major cities — Rome, Milan, Naples, Turin, Florence, and Bologna among them — well-established international grocery stores cater to diverse communities. Neighbourhoods with substantial immigrant populations, such as the Piazza Vittorio area in Rome or the Porta Venezia district in Milan, are home to clusters of shops offering African, Asian, Latin American, and Middle Eastern produce. These outlets are typically the most reliable source for items such as plantain, miso paste, tahini, dried chillies, specialist rice varieties, and South Asian spices.

For halal products, halal butchers and grocery shops can be found in most Italian cities with established Muslim communities, which are particularly numerous across northern and central Italy. Some larger Carrefour hypermarkets also maintain a dedicated halal section. For kosher products, Rome — with Italy’s most established Jewish community — offers the strongest supply, with specialist kosher retailers also operating in Milan. The Comunità Ebraica websites for both cities can direct you to certified suppliers.

For vegan and organic products, the NaturaSì chain stands as the largest organic and natural food retailer in Italy, with branches in most major cities. Growth in this segment has been rapid, and most mainstream supermarkets now carry a dedicated bio (organic) aisle alongside conventional products.

Online, Amazon.it stocks a broad range of international food products through its grocery and pantry categories and is particularly useful for specialist items that are unavailable in local shops. Ocado does not currently serve the Italian market, but services such as iHerb do ship health foods, supplements, and specialty products to Italian addresses — though delivery times and import duties vary. For those seeking specifically British, American, or other nationally branded foods, niche online importers operating within Italy can be found by searching for terms such as “prodotti americani Italia”; these operators change regularly so it is worth checking current availability.

How popular is online shopping in Italy, and what are the main platforms?

Italy’s e-commerce sector is growing at pace, with the market estimated at US $56 billion (approximately €52 billion) in 2025 and projected to reach approximately US $82 billion by 2027. Despite this trajectory, the market retains some characteristics that distinguish it from countries where online retail took hold earlier.

Credit and debit cards account for around 31–33% of online transactions, while digital wallets — including PayPal, PostePay, Amazon Pay, and Google Pay — represent approximately 35% of online payments and are especially favoured for lower-value purchases.

Amazon.it is Italy’s leading e-commerce platform for general merchandise, offering Prime delivery with typical windows of one to two business days for Prime members in major cities. eBay.it and Subito.it — Italy’s foremost classifieds and second-hand marketplace — are also widely used. For clothing and footwear, both Zalando.it and ASOS operate Italian-language sites and deliver to Italian addresses.

Delivery performance is generally dependable in urban areas but tends to be slower and less consistent in rural locations and on islands. Standard non-Prime Amazon deliveries typically take three to five business days. Return procedures follow EU law (see the consumer rights section below). Amazon updated its returns policy on Amazon.it from June 2025, with 11 product categories no longer covered by the previous 30-day Voluntary Returns Guarantee; in those cases, customers have a 14-day right of withdrawal to request a return, followed by an additional 14 days to dispatch the item.

For goods ordered from outside the EU — from the US, UK, or Asia, for instance — Italian VAT (IVA) and import duties apply. Cross-border transactions below €150 require IOSS registration by the seller, and effective logistics arrangements are essential. In practice, orders from non-EU sellers may attract customs charges consisting of Italian VAT at 22% plus a handling fee, which can raise the total cost significantly above the listed price. Always review the seller’s customs policy before placing an order from a non-EU retailer.

What consumer rights do you have when shopping in Italy?

Italy maintains a robust consumer protection system built on the Codice del Consumo (Consumer Code) and reinforced by EU directives. On 2 April 2023, a significant update to the Italian Consumer Code came into force, implementing the EU’s “Omnibus Directive” and bringing Italian legislation into closer alignment with EU-wide standards governing pricing transparency, online reviews, and digital contracts.

Your key rights include:

• Faulty goods (legal guarantee): Under Italian and EU law, goods must conform to their contract specifications for a minimum of two years from the date of purchase. Where a product turns out to be defective, you are entitled to a repair, replacement, reduction in price, or full refund. This two-year legal guarantee is a statutory floor that cannot be contracted away — unlike in some countries where returns and warranty rights are largely left to retailers’ discretion.
• Right of withdrawal (online and distance purchases): The right of withdrawal, set out in Article 52 of the Consumer Code, is an additional protection for consumers purchasing remotely or away from commercial premises, including online. Customers have 14 days from delivery to request a return, followed by a further 14 days to send the item back, in accordance with EU consumer protection rules. This right applies to most purchases from EU-based sellers.
• Unfair commercial practices: The AGCM — Italy’s competition and consumer protection authority — actively pursues cases involving misleading advertising, aggressive selling tactics, and unfair contractual terms.
• Pricing transparency: Retailers are required to display the total price including VAT. Following the implementation of the Omnibus Directive, sellers running promotional discounts must display the lowest price at which the item was sold during the 30 days preceding the promotion alongside the discounted price, enabling consumers to judge whether a sale is genuine.

For the most up-to-date information on your rights, consult the AGCM website and the European Consumer Centre Italy (ECC-Net Italia). ECC-Net is especially valuable when dealing with cross-border disputes within the EU.

What should expats know about consumer complaints and dispute resolution in Italy?

When a dispute arises with a retailer or service provider in Italy, a range of options is available to you, from informal resolution through to formal legal proceedings.

1. Begin with the seller. In the first instance, contact the retailer or service provider in writing — email is entirely acceptable and has the advantage of creating a clear record. Describe the issue plainly, cite your rights under the Consumer Code, and state the outcome you are seeking. A large proportion of disputes are settled without going any further.
2. Lodge a complaint with the AGCM (Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato). The AGCM is Italy’s national authority for consumer and competition matters. The procedural rules governing misleading advertising, unfair commercial practices, consumer contracts, and unfair terms are set out in Decision No. 31356 of 5 November 2024. Complaints can be submitted online via the AGCM’s website at agcm.it. The AGCM examines systemic issues and can levy substantial fines against businesses found to be in breach.
3. Contact the European Consumer Centre (ECC-Net Italia). If the seller is based in another EU country, ECC-Net Italia provides free mediation support. Visit ecc-netitalia.it to access guidance and submit a cross-border complaint.
4. Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and mediation. Italy has a well-structured ADR framework. Specific conciliation or arbitration bodies exist for a number of sectors, including banking, telecommunications, and energy. For general retail disputes, the Camera di Commercio (Chamber of Commerce) in each province offers mediation services. Consult your local Chamber of Commerce website for up-to-date contact information and procedures.
5. Small claims and civil court. Collective civil proceedings can be brought before the civil courts to establish a trader’s liability and seek damages, under Sections 840-bis–840-sexiesdecies of the Code of Civil Procedure. For smaller individual claims, the Giudice di Pace (Justice of the Peace) handles civil disputes valued up to €5,000 at relatively modest cost.
6. EU Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) platform. For online purchases from EU-based sellers, the European Commission’s ODR platform (ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr) allows you to raise a complaint against an online trader and links both parties to a certified ADR body.

Key organisations to keep on hand:

• AGCM: agcm.it/en — Italy’s competition and consumer authority
• ECC-Net Italia: ecc-netitalia.it/en — European Consumer Centre for cross-border matters
• Altroconsumo: altroconsumo.it — Italy’s largest independent consumer organisation (content mainly in Italian)
• EU ODR Platform: ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr

Always confirm current contact details, fees, and procedures directly with the relevant body, as these are subject to periodic change.

Are there any practical shopping tips or cultural norms expats should be aware of in Italy?

The afternoon closure is a real consideration. Even in 2025, a great many independent food shops, bakeries, and small retailers in medium-sized and smaller towns shut between roughly 1:00 PM and 3:30–4:00 PM. Doing your food shopping in the morning or late afternoon will prevent unnecessary frustration, particularly if you live somewhere other than a large city.

Haggling is not the done thing in shops. Unlike in bazaars and certain markets in other parts of the world, negotiating over prices at Italian retail shops — including at ordinary market stalls — is not expected and can be taken as impolite. The exception is antique fairs (mercati dell’antiquariato), where some degree of price discussion is more socially accepted.

Plastic bags carry a charge. In keeping with EU environmental policy, Italian supermarkets charge for plastic carrier bags at the checkout. Thin plastic bags for loose fruit and vegetables are also chargeable in many stores — usually a matter of a few cents each. A reusable shopping bag (borsa della spesa) is a sensible purchase; these are typically sold near supermarket entrances.

The RAEE electronics recycling scheme. When buying a new electrical appliance, retailers are legally required to accept an equivalent old device for recycling at no charge under the ritiro dell’usato obligation of the RAEE (Rifiuti di Apparecchiature Elettriche ed Elettroniche) scheme — Italy’s equivalent of the WEEE take-back programme found elsewhere in the EU. You can also drop unwanted electronics at designated municipal collection points.

The fiscal receipt obligation (scontrino fiscale). Italian law requires retailers to issue a fiscal receipt for every sale, and customers are in principle required to retain it until they leave the shop’s vicinity. This forms part of Italy’s framework for combating tax evasion. Enforcement for ordinary shoppers is rare in practice, but you should always ask for a receipt (“Posso avere lo scontrino?”) — it is the essential proof of purchase for any warranty or return claim.

Fresh markets are worth exploring. Most Italian towns and cities host a weekly or daily outdoor market (mercato) selling fresh fruit, vegetables, cheese, meat, and fish at competitive prices and to high standards. These markets are an excellent way to integrate into daily Italian life and are often less expensive than supermarkets for fresh goods. Cash is frequently the only payment option at market stalls.

Loyalty card programmes. The major supermarket chains offer loyalty cards — for example, Esselunga’s Fìdaty Card and Conad’s Carta Insieme — which accumulate points and unlock discounts and exclusive promotions. These are free to sign up for and are worth obtaining once you have an Italian address and, ideally, an Italian tax code (codice fiscale).

Food labelling standards. All packaged food products must display ingredients and allergen information in Italian, in accordance with EU Regulation 1169/2011. Products labelled “Made in Italy” or carrying a DOP/IGP (protected designation of origin) certification are subject to legally regulated quality standards — these designations carry genuine legal weight and are not merely marketing claims.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are shops open on Sundays in Italy?

It depends on the type of shop. Since 2012, Italian law has permitted shops to trade on Sundays without restriction. Most supermarkets do open on Sundays, typically on slightly reduced hours. However, many independent retailers, clothing boutiques, and specialist shops still opt to close on Sundays — particularly in smaller towns. Sunday trading is more common in major city centres and tourist areas. It is always worth checking the hours of any particular shop in advance.

Is cash still necessary in Italy?

Less so than in previous years, but keeping some on you remains advisable. Card and contactless payments are accepted at most supermarkets, restaurants, and larger shops. That said, small bars, market stalls, rural businesses, and some family-run operations may still prefer or insist on cash — particularly for small amounts. Carrying €20–€40 in cash provides a sensible safety net for everyday situations.

Does Amazon deliver to Italy, and is it reliable?

Yes, Amazon.it runs a full Italian marketplace with both Prime and standard delivery options. Prime members in major cities can typically expect delivery within one to two business days. In rural areas and on islands, delivery windows are longer and reliability can be less consistent. Returns fall under Italian and EU consumer law — on most products you have 14 days from delivery to request a return.

What is the legal guarantee period for faulty goods in Italy?

Both Italian and EU law provide all consumer goods with a minimum two-year legal guarantee (garanzia legale). Should a product develop a fault within that period, you are entitled to a repair, replacement, reduction in price, or refund. This right applies irrespective of any shorter commercial warranty offered by the manufacturer. Retain your receipt (scontrino) as it serves as proof of purchase.

How do I make a consumer complaint in Italy?

The first step is to contact the seller in writing. If that does not produce a resolution, you can submit a complaint to Italy’s consumer authority, the AGCM, at agcm.it. For cross-border disputes within the EU, ECC-Net Italia offers free assistance. For smaller monetary claims up to €5,000, the Giudice di Pace (Justice of the Peace) provides a relatively accessible civil process. The independent consumer organisation Altroconsumo (altroconsumo.it) also provides guidance, primarily in Italian.

Where can I find halal or kosher food in Italy?

Halal butchers and grocery shops operate in most Italian cities with established Muslim communities, which are especially prevalent across northern and central Italy. Certain larger Carrefour hypermarkets also stock a dedicated halal section. For kosher products, Rome has the most well-developed supply, with specialist shops concentrated in and around the historic Jewish quarter; Milan also has certified kosher retailers. For up-to-date listings, consult the websites of the relevant local religious communities, as availability changes over time.

Are prices in Italian shops negotiable?

As a general rule, no. Fixed pricing is standard in Italian retail shops, supermarkets, and most market stalls. Attempting to negotiate is not culturally expected in a regular retail setting and may cause offence. Some room for discussion on price can occasionally be found at antique fairs (mercati dell’antiquariato) or when purchasing large items directly from a private individual, but these are the exception rather than everyday practice.

What is the coperto charge in Italian restaurants, and is it a tip?

The coperto is a cover charge — ordinarily €1 to €3 per person — that is added to the bill at sit-down restaurants. It covers bread, table setting, and general service, and is entirely separate from any tip. Tipping in Italy is not obligatory; leaving a few euros or rounding up the total is a welcome gesture but carries no social expectation. In shops, tipping plays no part in the transaction whatsoever.