Growth for Italian franchising

The report on the franchising situation in Italy, prepared for Assofranchising by Milan consultancy company, Quadrante, revealed that in 2004 the number of franchisers in Italy increased by 6.5% to 708.

Of these, 24.2% refers to personal articles, a category which is most influenced by the main fashion sectors, from women's clothing to childrenswear, underwear and eyewear.

The fashion system also influences the number of franchisees; last year they increased to 44,426 (+6%), especially thanks to household articles (+21.4%) and personal items (+11.9%). In the latter segment, the dynamism of the underwear sector was patent.

Annual billings created by franchiser distribution touched 17 billion euros, with an increase of 9.8%. The trend is also positive in terms of labor: the Italian franchising world boasts around 7,900 employees, an increase of 7.2% and +16.7% under 'personal articles'.

(Source: Fashion Magazine)