45 per cent of Italians save money. Healthcare and pensions are among their priorities

The survey on Italians and saving, carried out by Ipsos and Acri to mark the 102nd Savings Day, reveals that, all things considered, the population has not seen its ability to put money aside diminish, but has shifted its priorities in doing so. And they are more concerned about being able to secure medical care or an adequate pension for the future. Essentially, 75 per cent of Italians recognise the role of saving as a means of supplementing public welfare, primarily in terms of healthcare and medical treatment (45 per cent) and, secondarily, in terms of long-term care for the elderly and those who are not self-sufficient (25 per cent), and in terms of pensions (25 per cent). The perception of the latter as a means of protection, rather than a tool for planning for the future, is becoming increasingly entrenched. According to the survey, Italians are primarily concerned with protection against contingent risks, such as difficulties linked to inflation or crisis situations, or those driven by a widespread perception of a rollback in the welfare state, both in relation to pensions and to healthcare and care services.

Saving therefore appears to serve a primarily defensive, almost inevitable, function, due to the intense pressure arising from the risks of rising living costs and reduced purchasing power. For 39 per cent of Italians, it is a necessity to ensure financial security, followed by an opportunity to achieve specific goals (27 per cent) or a sort of habit acquired over time (21 per cent). In any case, more than one in two Italians (58 per cent) believe they have the same propensity to save as their parents, although there is a widespread belief that they are unable to save the same amounts of money. This belief increases with age (50 per cent for Gen Z, 56 per cent for Millennials, 60 per cent for Gen X (aged 45–64), and 70 per cent for the Boomers – aged over 65).

This protective role of savings takes on particular significance in the light of the demographic and social changes currently underway. An ageing population and falling birth rates are altering the balance between generations and bringing needs relating to public welfare to the fore. The role of savings as a means of supplementing public welfare is recognised by 75 per cent of Italians, primarily in terms of healthcare and medical treatment (45 per cent) and, to a lesser extent, in terms of long-term care for the elderly and those who are not self-sufficient (25 per cent), as well as in terms of pensions (25 per cent). Among those in work, 66 per cent express concern about their financial situation after retirement, both because of the prospect of receiving an insufficient pension (43 per cent) and because of the difficulty of setting aside savings today with a view to the future (33 per cent). In this context, characterised by a strong desire to save and widespread concerns about the future and the sustainability of the welfare system, the family continues to act as an important social safety net.

The proportion of Italians able to save without having to make too many sacrifices remains stable compared with last year (45 per cent), whilst the number of those who see saving as a source of peace of mind has fallen (35 per cent compared with 38 per cent in 2025). The biggest increase is in the proportion of those who prioritise the present and choose to enjoy life without worrying too much about the future (19 per cent compared with 14 per cent in 2025). Compared with just three years ago, some Italians have adopted a different attitude, being less inclined to save (45 per cent in 2026 compared with 53 per cent in 2023) and more inclined to live for the moment (19 per cent in 2026 compared with 7 per cent in 2023). It is the Boomer generation that has adopted an approach less focused on saving at all costs: compared with other generations, they are divided between those who try to save without having to make too many sacrifices (37 per cent), those who prefer to enjoy the present without worrying too much about the future (30 per cent) and, finally, those who need savings as a source of peace of mind (30 per cent). The proportion of those who spend their entire income remains stable at 37 per cent (it was 32 per cent in 2023), whilst the proportion of those who manage to set aside a portion of it has risen slightly again (from 41 per cent in 2025 to 44 per cent in 2026), although the figure remains below the levels seen in 2023 (48 per cent), the year of full post-pandemic recovery. Twenty-four per cent of Italians would be unable to cover an unexpected expense of 1,000 euros from their own resources, whilst 64 per cent would be unable to cover it if the expense were 10,000 euros. Generation X (aged 45–64) is the group experiencing the greatest difficulty: 68 per cent of those belonging to this generation are unable to rely on their own resources to cope with such an eventuality.

Compared with two or three years ago, a third of Italians report an increase in consumption and, consequently, in spending on essential goods, driven by both medicines and pharmaceutical products, as well as food and household care products. Spending on private transport shows a positive balance of as much as 30 percentage points (+18 in 2025), whilst spending on telecommunications shows a positive balance (+2) but is more modest than last year (+10). Consumption relating to eating out and leisure mirrors last year’s trend, showing a decline in consumption and consequently in expenditure (-18).