Payment delays in micro enterprises grow

With the exception of the end of 2025, delay days were being contained everywhere, remaining within a maximum of ten days, falling below eight for industry.

Looking at the point in time surveys for the last quarter, the number of days of delay increases markedly, especially in agriculture, from less than ten to almost 15. But signs of deterioration are also visible elsewhere, for example in construction and transport equipment, chemicals and metals, FMCG and the fashion system.

Looking at 2025 as a whole, the hierarchy changes somewhat: in addition to Agriculture, there are signs of worsening average lags in the Fashion System and, more gradually, in some industrial sectors such as Chemistry and Pharmaceuticals.

On the other hand, the most noticeable improvements in average delays concern Means of Transport and Logistics and Transport, with favourable indications also in Housing and Distribution. On overall payment times, the trend in 2025 is generally towards containment, but it is not uniform: some sectors remain more stable or show a slight increase, confirming that average times and punctuality can move with different intensities.

At the close of 2025, delays increase in all macro-areas, but with varying intensity: the most evident signs are observed in the Centre and the South and Islands, while the North-East maintains more moderate levels while worsening in the comparison with Q4 2024.

On the total of payment days the dynamics are less uniform: the increase in delays translates more clearly into a worsening of overall times especially in the Centre, while in other areas overall times are more stable or slightly decreasing.

On 2025 as a whole, average payment days decrease in all macro-areas, but punctuality follows different dynamics. The Centre is the area that shows the most evident increase in average delays; the South and Islands remains at high values with smaller variations; the North-West is the most stable area and records a slight improvement in punctuality; the North-East maintains more moderate levels with a moderate increase. The annual reading, therefore, confirms the containment of overall delays but shows persistent differences on punctuality.

Trentino-Alto Adige, Veneto and Marche are the three most virtuous regions in terms of days of delay, with low levels in the order of six days. But it is almost the entire Central-Northern perimeter that is more punctual on average, with delays of 7-8 days at most between Lombardy and Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany.

The picture changes in the southern regions, which raise the average considerably. With the worst delays in Sicily (17 days), followed by Calabria (15) , Sardinia (15) , Lazio (14) and Campania (13).

Taking into account the whole interval - agreed time + delay), the opposite extremes are Trentino Alto Adige and Sicily: in the first case invoices are paid in 49 days, in the second in 67.