Go to the bank becomes is more and more difficult.
In 2022 the banks closed 554 branches throughout the country, a further contraction of 2,6% compared to 2021.
This is what emerges from the latest update of theObservatory on banking desertification di First Cisl, that process the data made available on 31/12/2022 by Bankitalia e Istat.
Bank desertification: 40% of municipalities have no branches, a phenomenon that is constantly growing
The number of people is growing, as well 4 million (250 thousand more than 2021), which not have access to a branch in the municipality of residence. The ratio between population and number of branches is 35,5 per 100 inhabitants.
The flight of the banks from the territories it does not invest only in small towns: among the completely desertified municipalities, 9 have more than 10 inhabitants, while among those with only one branch, 12 have more than 15 inhabitants.
The data compared to the previous year bring out a phenomenon, that of desertification, that it does not progress evenly between different areas of the country. In 2022 the most affected regions these were Lombardy (-3,6%), Lazio (-3,5%), Molise (-3,4%), Friuli Venezia Giulia (3%). Overall, nationwide, the loss of branches was 2,6%.
Le banks they are in fact disappearing from entire regions: in Molise i municipalities without a door are now the82%in Calabria il 71%. In Piedmont, Valle D'Aosta, Liguria, Abruzzo and Campania the figure is over 50%. There national average is 39,9%.
A worrying picture which according to First Cisl is destined to increase: it is estimated that about 6 million of Italians, residing in municipalities in which there is only one branch left, risk finding themselves in the same condition in the short term.
Colombani, First Cisl: imitating Poste Italiane's Polis project
"The banks should think about consequences of closures for social and economic cohesion of the country” comments the general secretary of First Cisl Riccardo Colombani.
For the secretary general “Continuing to reduce the presence in the territories means moving in the opposite direction to the objectives of the Pnrr, which instead aims to close the development gap between the different areas of the country. The Polis project, With whom Poste Italiane will invest 1,2 billion euros, aims to bring public administration services closer to citizens by integrating the physical network of branches with the digital channel. It is an initiative that represents a great opportunity for development for small communities and inland areas, otherwise destined to be marginalized”.
THEinitiative, that of Poste, which according to Colombani, the banks “They should evaluate very carefully for look for solutions aimed at the provision of services to customers compatible with banking activities, in order to diversify the sources of revenue and at the same time expand the information assets crucial for savings and credit policies. In fact, it should not be forgotten that the banks, although they are companies, according to the Constitution they are one social function that the change of epoch makes decisive”.
