This summer season is really too hot for the entire HO.RE.CA. sector, the post-Coronavirus crisis has left businesses gasping in the summer sun. Meanwhile, the Italian government tries the last resort for non-refundable aid. We talked about it in one of our latest news, in reference to what has been done by the UK Government which, we remind you, has launched a series of concrete measures for companies operating in the tourism and restaurant sector. In fact, the British government will cover half the cost of a meal on the premises (up to a maximum of 20 pounds). In short, a restaurant meal paid half by the state, cut of the VAT from 20 to 5% and non-repayable loans from a minimum of 10,000 to a maximum of 50,000 pounds.
In Italy we are finally talking about a restaurant fund for a total value of around 1 billion, in support of the entire Horeca sector, with heavy repercussions on the entire agri-food chain, especially in the segments of excellence. A measure that, even if late, can only be assessed in its effectiveness in proportion to its immediate applicability.
An Italian Supply Chain Bonus of approximately 5,000 euros (4.500 £) for non-refundable direct payments to 180,000 public catering establishments for the purchase of national agri-food products, while supporting the purchase of Italian products.
According to ISMEA data, Italian restaurants risk a 34 billion crack in 2020 due to the economic crisis, the collapse of tourism and the drastic reduction of eating out caused by the coronavirus emergency.
Due to the pandemic, the number of meals eaten at the restaurant in Italy is estimated to drop by 40%. An expense that in the pre lockdown era was 35% of total food consumption for a value of 86 billion euros.
A drastic reduction in the activity that weighs on the sale of many agri-food products, and on the work of 1.3 million employees. The lack of foreign tourism worsens the situation, with over 16 million foreign citizens on holiday in Italy in 2019 during the summer months who, evidently, will almost certainly be missing this year.
Another 25 billion deficit are at stake to finance the summer maneuver with shock absorbers and aid to the sectors most affected by the pandemic block. The August decree includes support for catering and the entire tourism sector. There is talk of extending the exemption of the Tosap – tax for the occupation of public land – (at the moment it is up to October) to keep the tables outdoors and to establish a guarantee fund for the rents of the activities still in crisis, until the introduction of a “consumer incentive”.
ITA0039 has always believed in the values of the Italian agri-food sector and the excellence that it expresses and conveys also through the restaurant sector. Unique and healthy goods that need to be protected and spread as much as possible. More than a few declarations of intent are necessary, concreteness is needed to restore dignity to a sector that makes us proud to be Italian.
Teresa Bellanova
Minister of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies
Minister Bellanova stated that the immediate objective is: “to encourage the maintenance of the restaurant businesses as much as possible with an immediate measure that injects liquidity in order to put these companies in a position to quickly reactivate food supplies and that strengthen the provisions of the Liquidity and Relaunch Decrees. In recent weeks we have all recognized the strategic and determining role of our agri-food chain. The sense of self-denial and the function of a real public service exercised in these months. We all said thank you but that’s not enough. Supporting catering means preventing the loss of a strategic piece of our Made in Italy. A piece on which our strength in the world is based. It is time to move from words to deeds“.
