Two thirds of Italians save on clothing, 14% on food

(ANSA) – Cernobbio (Como), October 18 – About two Italians out of three, around 68%, this year decided either not to buy any clothing or cut down spending on fashion, some 53% dispensed with holidays or technological gadgets yet only 14% cut food expenses amid Italy’s longest recession in over two decades, according to a survey by farmers’ association Coldiretti with polling institute Ixe’ released on Friday. The study on ‘The perception of the crisis and Made in Italy’ presented at a forum on agriculture and food in Cernobbio, northern Italy, found that consumption of low-cost food however grew 47%.

Clothing and travel were also the two sectors in which the greatest number of Italians decided to save, 13% and 10% respectively compared to last year, according to the research.

Almost half of those polled, 49%, cut nights out at a disco along with bar and restaurant meals, 42% did not renovate their homes, 40% did not buy a new car or motorcycle and 37% skipped furniture shopping. Culture also suffered with 35% foregoing to attend cultural events and 29% cutting sports activities.

Nevertheless, 38% of Italian consumers chose to buy products made in third world countries and 24% tried ethnic products. Some 67% remained averse to genetically modified organisms.