The demographic winter is no longer only a statistical concern; it is now capable of freezing entire productive sectors. The baby products industry has been hit particularly hard, with over 3,300 enterprises closing in the last ten years as a result of a severe crisis. This decline in manufacturing has attained alarming proportions, with losses surpassing 30%, and is significantly reshaping the nation's economic landscape, in close correlation with the decline in birth rates. The findings, compiled by Infocamere and Unioncamere using Movimprese and INPS data, show a sector in steep decline. As of December 31, 2024, there were 17,626 active childcare businesses, a 15.7% decline from 2014. However, the crisis is most acute in the sector's productive heart: enterprises that specialize in the production of toys, prams, and strollers have decreased to just over a thousand units, a 32.7% decrease in ten years. The toy industry alone demonstrates the scale of the collapse. In 2014, more than 3,100 enterprises operated in Italy, employing over 4,200 people; currently, only a thousand remain, employing about 1,500. Historically central regions such as Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna have seen the number of active companies cut in half, or worse. The situation in the pram and stroller market is even more serious. From the 59 companies recorded ten years ago, with over one thousand total employees, the number has fallen to 24 firms employing fewer than 700 people. These include traditional Made in Italy brands that are currently dealing with weak local demand and Chinese competition, which has become even more intense since the imposition of US tariffs. Overall, employment in the sector has dropped to 30,477, a 6.7% decrease from a decade earlier. In manufacturing, the decline has risen to 26.4%. At the root of this crisis lies a relentless demographic dynamic. As of January 1, 2025, there were 4.84 million prospective consumers aged 0 to 10, compared to 6.05 million ten years ago. In essence, the target market has shrunk by more than 1.2 million children, representing a 20% decline. The reduction in newborns is even more dramatic: the number of children under one has decreased by more than a fifth. This disparity affects not simply cribs, but the entire childhood economy. (peg - 21 December)