Survey reveals that the American custom has strong appeal for shops and consumers in Italy.

Four out of five Italians (84 per cent) say they are interested in making a purchase during this year's Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales on 25 and 28 November.

The average estimated spend will be €222 per consumer, a drop from last year when it was €235, according to research carried out by PwC and reported by Italian business newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore.

Some 47 per cent will make only purchases if they believe the offer is sufficiently affordable while only seven per cent of those surveyed said they had no interest at all.

Among those who plan to take advantage of the sales, 82 per cent will buy items for themselves while 65 per cent will make purchases for their families.

The data reflects a growing trend in recent years and suggests that Italy has widely embraced the American custom of shopping at hugely-discounted prices the day after Thanksgiving.

Black Friday is followed by Cyber Monday, a day dedicated to discounts in the technology sector.

The post-Christmas sales in all regions of Italy begin on 5 January 2023, with the exception of Sicily where the saldi kick off on 2 January.

The winter sales generally last about six weeks however the time period varies from region to region.