In 2024, Italian families spent an average of €2,755 per month, roughly the same as in 2023 (+0.6%). This is the takeaway from the recent Istat data on household spending, which presents a scenario of seeming stability but declining purchasing power. Compared to 2019, spending climbed by 7.6%, while prices—measured by the Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP)—increased by 18.5%. In other words, individuals are spending more while buying less. According to Istat, around one in every three families (31.1%) reported reducing the quantity or quality of food purchased in 2024, which is consistent with 2023. The decline extends to soft drinks, with 35.3% of households reporting reduced consumption. Food price hikes have moderated (+2.5% compared to +10.2% in 2023), but not enough to ease family budgets. However, certain commodities are increasing: oils and fats (+11.7%) and fruit (+2.7%). Non-food spending accounts for 80.7% of the total, or an average of €2,222 a month.