Lorenzo Macchi
Research expert covering society, economy, and politics for Italy
Millennials in Italy - Statistics & Facts
The demographic group of millennials includes individuals born between approximately the mid-1980s and mid-1990s. In Italy, there are about 6.6 million millennials, with women being slightly less numerous then men. For this generation, future financial security is a serious issue. In 2019, over six out of ten Italian millennials stated they were stressed because of a potential house purchase, while the lack of a comfortable retirement kept almost the same percentage awake at night.
When it comes to daily purchasing decisions, over half of millennials would choose international brands for almost any category of consumer goods, except for fresh food products. In this regard, local and national brands are more often preferred, when not mixed with big brands. Italian millennial consumers pay attention to sustainability, as well as packaging, which is expected to be more plastic-free by over four out of ten individuals. As of 2019, online shopping already seems to be an established habit, although data security appears to be causing hesitation among reluctant shoppers when filling online baskets. The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak affected millennials’ out-of-home habits as well. After the emergency, almost 40 percent would eat at restaurants less often, while a slightly lower percentage would sometimes visit pubs and bars.
Millennials watch TV and listen to the radio more than people belonging to Generation Z do, though they use on demand audiovisual services less. However, they represent a strong mobile device users base. In March 2020, the number of millennials using their smartphones to browse online daily amounted to over five million.
When it comes to daily purchasing decisions, over half of millennials would choose international brands for almost any category of consumer goods, except for fresh food products. In this regard, local and national brands are more often preferred, when not mixed with big brands. Italian millennial consumers pay attention to sustainability, as well as packaging, which is expected to be more plastic-free by over four out of ten individuals. As of 2019, online shopping already seems to be an established habit, although data security appears to be causing hesitation among reluctant shoppers when filling online baskets. The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak affected millennials’ out-of-home habits as well. After the emergency, almost 40 percent would eat at restaurants less often, while a slightly lower percentage would sometimes visit pubs and bars.
Millennials watch TV and listen to the radio more than people belonging to Generation Z do, though they use on demand audiovisual services less. However, they represent a strong mobile device users base. In March 2020, the number of millennials using their smartphones to browse online daily amounted to over five million.
