Outlets, sales up thanks to tax free. Investments continue

While fashion sales seem to be struggling under the weight of the crisis - Federmoda Confcommercio president Giulio Felloni recalled that in the last five years Italian families' spending on fashion products has dropped by almost four billion euro - outlets seem to be the exception, also thanks to a good share of purchases made by tourists. But that's not all.

I Designer Outlet McArthurGlen - quattro in Italia: Serravalle (Al), Noventa di Piave (Ve) , La Reggia (Marcianise, Ce) e Castel Romano (Rm) - hanno registrato un primo semestre 2025 positivo rispetto allo stesso periodo del 2024, con una crescita del 5%, e «i saldi estivi hanno confermato il trend positivo, con un incremento del +9% in affluenza. Il gruppo si avvia così a chiudere l’anno con una nuova crescita rispetto all’esercizio precedente». Merito anche della clientela tra i 50 e i 65 anni: in base ai risultati della seconda edizione dell’Osservatorio Moda e Generazioni, realizzata da Doxa per McArthurglen, rappresentano quasi la metà (46%) dei visitatori dei quattro centri McArthurGlen in Italia e costituiscono la fascia d’età con la spesa media più elevata. La loro presenza incide in maniera significativa sul valore annuo complessivo, contribuendo per il 40% circa –, pari all’8% in più rispetto alle altre fasce d’età

Also making a difference are purchases by tourists, especially those from outside Europe. According to a survey by Global Blue and Scalo Milano Outlet &M0re, the outlet segment is growing fast (+9% compared to +7% for the national and Milan averages) and, with a 12% contribution to tax-free spending, is establishing itself as a complementary channel to the city centre. Average spending in outlets is also on the rise, now standing at around Euro 1,300 (+3%), reflecting a positioning increasingly oriented towards a medium-high-end offer. In the first half of 2025, in particular, Scalo Milano Outlet & More recorded a +66% increase in tax-free spending, compared to +2% in Milan.

In line with these positive sales figures, investments in Italian outlet villages are on the way. For the two-year period 2024-25, McArthurGlen itself announced an investment of around 20 million euros in the Serravalle Designer Outlet (already the largest in Italy and Europe), while the Torino Outlet Village (managed by Arcus Real Estate of the Percassi group) opened its new look last weekend (25-26 October) after an 11,000 square metre extension of the total sales area, which rose to 32,000 square metres, with around 60 new signs for a total of 140 boutiques of international brands in the premium lifestyle segment. A 55 million euro project: a considerable investment, supported by the Orion Fund with the company Stilo Immobiliare e Finanziaria Spa, part of the Percassi Group. Another of the outlet sector players in Italy

Promos, a company that in Italy manages seven structures including the newly "acquired" San Marino Outlet Experience, has also announced development projects for the three-year period 2025/27 for 35 million euro and 24 thousand square metres of new operations, with a 10% increase in the number of new shops. Promos, which has a market share of around 30%, will also invest in food and beverage, a key segment in the outlet village shopping experience: it has announced three new food courts that will host 30 bars and restaurants at the Brenner Outlet (to be inaugurated in the coming weeks), Mondovicino Outlet Village and Barberino Outlet.