Newspaper sales slump forces Italy, ’s iconic kiosks to shutter
– Fabiano Pompei’s family has operated a news kiosk near St. John Lateran Basilica in Rome since 1948.
– Marco Volpini’s family owned a kiosk near the Trevi Fountains for a century.
– Both Pompei and Volpini have closed their kiosks due to a significant decline in newspaper sales.
– The industry body Snag reports that two-thirds of Italy’s news kiosks have closed in the last two decades, leaving about 12,000 remaining.
– The Italian Chamber of Commerce noted a 16% nationwide decrease in kiosk numbers in the past four years, with Rome experiencing a 21% drop.
– Newspaper sales at kiosks have plummeted from 9.54 million daily in 2004 to approximately 950,000 by January 2024.
– The government is offering incentives up to 2,000 euros to support kiosk owners.
– Some kiosk owners are attempting to adapt by selling souvenirs or converting to automatic distribution machines.