At the Retail Summit 2025, the answer was clear: the future of retail hinges on innovation, the ability to adapt to evolving consumer needs, and open dialogue among the key players reshaping the market. The event, held in Baveno on Lake Maggiore on June 18–19, 2025, featured prominent figures such as the CEO of Action, who shared the vision and expansion strategies of the European non-food discount giant, along with many other retail industry leaders, including CEOs and directors from brands like Esselunga, Conad, Coop, and even executives from Meta and Jakala.
At Sferica, we chose to be active sponsors of this edition, bringing our expertise as a general contractor and sharing the value of our partnership with Action, for whom we built the first store in Italy, located in Vanzaghello.
Key Insights from the Retail Summit 2025
The event featured a dynamic mix of keynote speeches and panel discussions focused on the major retail trends of 2025, with the participation of numerous speakers. Topics included artificial intelligence, now seen not as experimental but as a foundational infrastructure; internationalization as a natural path for Italian brands; and a reimagining of retail spaces through accessibility, touchless technology, and operational sustainability. Other discussions highlighted the growing importance of retail general contractors in supporting international brands as they open new stores in Italy, the management of large-scale rollouts, and the integration of physical store design with technological innovation.
Data presented by the Confimprese Research Center portrayed a market that remains essentially stable, confirming the development plans announced at the beginning of 2025. Despite global uncertainties, retailers in the foodservice, fashion & accessories, and other sectors (home furnishings, electronics, telecommunications, and personal care) have not changed their expansion strategies. By the end of the second half of 2025, 5,580 new store openings are expected, generating over 33,000 new jobs.
Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti, in a closing video message, described retail as “an essential part of a strong and diversified economy”. He emphasized three strategic drivers: artificial intelligence, enhancement of human capital, and internationalization. Giorgetti noted that in Q1 2025, Italy posted 0.3% economic growth, with full-year forecasts now at +0.5%—exceeding initial projections and close to the +0.6% annual figure outlined in public finance documents.
