American custom has growing appeal for shops and consumers in Italy.

Four out of five Italians, about 85 per cent, say they are interested in making a purchase during this year's Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales on 26 and 29 November.

The average estimated spend will be €235 per consumer, a significant increase from last year when it was €157, according to research carried out by PwC and reported by Italian business newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore.

In addition, 23 per cent of Italians planning to shop on Black Friday expect to buy up to a quarter of their Christmas gifts, while one in three say they will take advantage of the November sales to buy up to half their Christmas presents.

The majority of purchases will be made through online shopping with home delivery, according to PwC, with most transactions carried out on smartphones.

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The data reflects a growing trend in recent years and suggests that Italy has widely embraced the American custom of shopping at hugely-discounted prices the day after Thanksgiving.

Black Friday is followed by Cyber Monday, a day dedicated to discounts in the technology sector.

January sales in Italy

The post-Christmas sales in all regions of Italy begin on 6 January 2022, with the exception of Lazio (Rome) and Liguria where sales start on 15 January.

The winter sales generally last about six weeks however the time period varies from region to region.

The shortest sales run is in Trentino Alto Adige, from 6-16 January, and the longest is in Campania (Naples), from 6 January to 2 April.