Assosport, the Italian sporting goods industry association, is raising the alarm about the consequences of soaring energy costs on the sector and consumer habits. Anna Ferrino, the association’s chairwoman, has called for governmental support for the Italian sporting goods industry. With energy prices rising by up to 500 percent, households will likely spend a lower proportion of their income on items deemed to be non-essential, which unfortunately include sports, Ferrino said.
Exports rose by 18.5 percent in 2021, but the current energy crisis will inevitably hit the sector hard. The difficulty in finding raw materials, combined with high freight and management costs, is making matters worse. Some segments will be hit harder than others. According to estimates by ANIF Eurowellness, the national trade association for fitness and sports facilities, at least 500 sports facilities will be forced to shut down, and this comes after the dark 2020/2022 period of the Covid-19 pandemic, which already saw more than 200 going out of business, reminded Ferrino.
The Italian sports industry is worth nearly €79 billion, 3 percent of the country’s GDP. Assosport represents more than 120 companies and 300 brands with a combined turnover of €12.2 billion and a workforce of 9,300 people.
