Franchising in Italy: what’s driving the trends
Franchising in Italy continues to record steady growth also in 2025, confirming its role as a driving force for entrepreneurship. According to Assofranchising’ s latest report, the Italian franchising market closed 2025 with +3.9% increase in sales compared with 2024, following €. 35.8 billion generated through 67,275 active stores and 293,791 employees. Organized large-scale retail, clothing, food and personal/health services, are the main drivers of growth in the Italian market. Franchising remains a strategic and resilient sector in Italy, offering self-employment and sure investment opportunities, particularly for those wishing to start new businesses even during periods of uncertainty.
1. Franchising in Italy continues to record steady growth also in 2025, confirming its role as a driving force for entrepreneurship.
In Italy, franchising continues to record steady growth over the years, confirming its role as a driving force for entrepreneurship and remaining one of the most high-performing business models, both for those who want to grow rapidly and for those who wish to start a business while reducing entrepreneurial risk through the transfer of already-tested know-how.
According to the latest report of Assofranchising, the Italian franchising market closed 2025 with +3.9% increase in sales compared with 2024, following €. 35.8 billion generated through 67,275 active stores and 293,791 employees.
As a matter of fact, independent businesses find it increasingly difficult to compete in a market requiring significant investments, particularly in digitalization and marketing. On the contrary, operating franchise networks are growing: they are now approaching 1,000 in Italy, with more than 85% of them being Italian-owned.
Despite the difficult phase of the international economy and widespread reduction in the number of businesses in Italy, the franchising model has not only consolidated its position but also strengthened its territorial presence. Franchising therefore remains a strategic and resilient sector in Italy, offering self-employment and sure investment opportunities, particularly for those wishing to start new businesses even during periods of uncertainty.
There are three main drivers, more or less common across the various sectors that are currently trending:
- consumer selectivity, with consumers spending less but better, giving an advantage in the market to those with a clear identity and a consistent product;
- sustainability of the business model, through cost efficiency, continuous professional training, and dialogue between franchisors, franchisees and institutional stakeholders;
- self-employment opportunities, with 65% of new franchisees starting a business to make it their main job. In other words, franchising is a career choice, not just an investment.
2. The Italian franchising sector is increasingly looking towards foreign markets
All main indicators confirm the excellent health of the Italian franchising sector, which is now in a consolidation and maturity phase, contributing 1.7% of national GDP.
In 2025, the number of sales outlets remained substantially stable (-1%, from 62,902 to 62,449), while there was a strong increase in employees (+12%), with over 327,000 people employed, and an average of more than 5 employees per store.
The turnover of the sector reached €. 39 billion, driven above all by GDO, clothing and catering, which together account for 75% of the total turnover. The structure of the market shows a widespread and dynamic network, with 64% of networks having fewer than 50 outlets, alongside a core of medium-sized networks (7%) that drive the growth of the sector and have between 200 and 500 stores.
The growth of the sector is also reflected in its international outlook: 41% of Italian brands are already present abroad, while a further 20% plan to begin international expansion in the next three years.
3. Entrepreneurial talent and access to capital: the new challenges of Italian franchising
The Assofranchising Italia 2026 Report provides an in-depth analysis of the profile of franchisees, highlighting an evolving profile.
Although the role remains predominantly male, with 65% of men franchisees, 79% of franchisors believe that in the next three years franchising will attract an increasing share of entrepreneurs, also thanks to the opportunities offered by self-employment. It is therefore not surprising that two-thirds of brands consider entrepreneurship one of the key factors for the success of their networks.
When choosing to join a network, the main attractions continue to be the strength of the brand and the support provided by the franchisor, indicated by 65% of operators as the decisive drivers, followed by the prospects for business profitability.
For franchisors, the ideal franchisee is a person with an entrepreneurial mindset, flexibility and adaptability. Qualities that are often difficult to combine with adequate financial resources, which remain one of the main obstacles to the growth of networks.
The initial investment required to start a franchising business is on average around €. 120,000, but this represents a high financial commitment and is still one of the main barriers preventing people from considering franchising as a professional opportunity.
4. Market trends by sector
Organized large-scale retail, clothing, food and personal/health services, are the main drivers of growth in the Italian market.
Among the most dynamic sectors are large-scale retail sector, personal care, health, pet care and car repair, supported by changes in consumption patterns and the growing attention paid by Italians to their well-being.
In 2024, the large-scale retail sector generated €12.6 billion, followed by clothing (€7.4 billion) and services (€6.7 billion). The only exception is the negative trend in sales among home-related sectors (-1.4%), due to changing consumer habits and sustainability policies.
Home-related sector is the only one to have contracted, by 1.4% compared with 2024. Furniture, DIY and home décor are affected by consumers’ declining spending power and inflationary pressure. Brands are instead focusing on light restructuring, home services and eco-friendly products.
Employment is growing, particularly in some sectors, thanks also to significant shifts in consumption patterns and the strong recovery of tourism, which is having a broad-based impact.
4.1. Food and beverage
Food and beverage remain the driving force of the sector. With around 300,000 active businesses, 1.2 million employees and an estimated sale of €46 billion at the macro level, the sector represents an extraordinary asset for the national economy, thanks to the all-day business model, take-away, delivery, hamburgers, specialized and format-driven food service are growing. The restaurant industry continues to benefit from the international recognition of Italian brands and from consumers’ greater attention to value and sustainability.
An increasingly widespread trend is the evolution toward fast-casual, driven by Made-in-Italy products of high quality that combine higher-quality ingredients with the speed typical of fast food. In this mix, take-away plays an increasingly important role. New franchising openings are increasingly focused on formats linked to pizza, poke, hamburgers, gourmet burgers and artisan bakeries, which are showing high profitability.
Retail Catering is also gaining ground, involving supermarkets, shopping centers and transport hubs, such as train stations and airports, which have recorded the strongest growth, with revenue increasing by 27% in one year.
Connecting with the local area is a fundamental component of the food and beverage sector: the success of many formats lies precisely in storytelling linked to the local territory and the quality of raw materials, essential elements in a market like Italy, which is becoming increasingly important globally. The estimated value in 2025 is €. 205 billion.
Another trend is integrated food delivery, with in-house delivery and dark kitchens reducing commission costs and delivery fees for customers.
Finally, specialization in niche products is becoming increasingly widespread: between poke, gourmet pizzerias, artisan gelato shops, specialty coffee shops and similar concepts are the latest trends in the sector, responding to consumers’ desire for increasingly strong identity and recognizability.
4.2. Personal health services
Franchising in the personal-services sector, particularly in the healthcare sector, is growing in Italy more quietly but steadily, as it often does not require a location on a street with high foot traffic.
The e-commerce sector is particularly important, as the ability to deliver last-mile services is essential. This includes postal services, shipping, parcel collection hubs for online purchases and logistics related to expansion into new markets.
There are also home-assistance services for the elderly and agencies providing caregivers, which respond to the aging population. Nutrition services and energy-efficiency services are also being restructured, with specialized companies investing in innovative solutions and services for homes. A B2B approach aimed at the retail sector is also being developed.
Services related to the digitalization of healthcare are also important, such as dental clinics, private medical centers, diagnostic laboratories and telemedicine centers with affiliated networks, both in physical facilities and online. This model has the advantage of reducing fixed costs and improving access to healthcare.
4.3 Fitness and wellness
Awareness of the importance of physical and mental well-being has exploded in the post-COVID period, leading to a profound reorganization of the fitness market. Italy is witnessing the entry of numerous foreign formats, particularly from Spain and Northern Europe, as well as numerous Italian brands.
Among the main characteristics and trends in today’s Italian fitness sector are Boutique Studios, which represent a highly specialized alternative to traditional gyms, offering personalized training in small spaces, highly specialized in specific disciplines such as Pilates, HIIT, yoga and functional training. This model has the advantage of reducing initial investment and operating costs for franchisees, guaranteeing high margins and a welcoming environment.
There are also 24-hour and low-cost gyms, with high automation, open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, requiring limited staffing (often only one employee per shift), and therefore significantly reducing labor costs. However, the trend is increasingly moving toward Beauty tech centers with personalized and increasingly customized services, where customers seek high-quality experiences.
4.4 GDO and Food retail
GDO (Large-Scale Retail Distribution) is confirmed as the first franchising sector in Italy, with its “defensive” nature allowing it to perform well even during periods of inflation, because it meets a basic consumer need.
Its distinctive characteristics include:
- proximity, with neighborhood stores of around 150–250 m² in urban centers;
- a sustainable product range, including private-label organic products and reduced-plastic solutions;
- integration with delivery, online shopping and in-store collection.
4.5 Fashion
The fashion, clothing and luxury sector is worth €.7.4 billion in revenue and ranks second in Italian franchising, after the GDO sector.
This sector is dominated by omnichannel businesses, with stores serving as showrooms, with particular attention to e-commerce. Franchising that, in practice, no longer sells just physical spaces but, above all, services and value.
The green and traceability component, with sustainable materials, certified supply chains and transparent communication that differentiate Italian brands abroad, is also important.
Finally, accessible luxury, with mid-range and affordable brands, is gaining popularity among consumers looking for fast fashion but who want to “selectively” purchase better-quality products on a permanent basis.
4.6 Other sectors
Other emerging and growing formats can be found in the digital sector, such as social media agencies and digital marketing, and in the sharing economy, with short-term rental management and local marketplaces; and in automated retail offerings with unmanned stores and self-service supermarkets.
There are also several emerging areas, particularly regarding electric mobility, including electric bike and scooter rental; the pet sector, with specialized pet-food and pet-accessory stores; nutrition for dogs and cats and funeral services for pets; and innovative formats in the beauty, make-up and organic perfume sector, such as sustainable and organic beauty products, drop shipping and personalized services.
4.7 Tourism
One final “trend” of a cross-sector nature, but of great importance, is the tourism sector, which is experiencing a major boost in franchising through the various travel habits of consumers.
Airports, train stations and transport hubs are modernizing and taking advantage of the extraordinary vitality of tourism. Customers with high spending capacity who travel throughout the country can encounter targeted franchising proposals.
Franchising opportunities are becoming increasingly attractive not only in art cities, but also in smaller urban centers that attract visitors for a variety of reasons. Analyzing the franchising sector in a structured manner and paying attention to internal and international tourism trends makes it possible to better understand how a new franchising business can operate in an optimal way.
Avv. Valerio Pandolfini
For other in-depth articles on issues relating to franchising: visit our blog.
The information contained in this article is of a general nature and is not to be considered an exhaustive examination of the various issues, nor is it intended to express an opinion or provide legal advice. Specific legal advice must be provided with regard to individual cases.
