Our investments in Italy include both capital expenditures, such as the infrastructure we build, logistics centres, corporate offices, and cloud infrastructure; and operating expenses, such as the salaries we pay our employees in Italy.
According to a study by TEHA*, which analyses large companies in Italy, Amazon takes first position among companies that have created the most jobs in Italy during the 2014-2023 period. It also ranks third among foreign companies operating in Italy in terms of total employment, and twentieth among all big companies that operate in Italy.
Our total workforce in Italy will reach around 19,000 permanent jobs by the end of 2024, around a thousand more than announced last year, confirming Amazon as one of the main quality jobs creators in the country.
Mariangela Marseglia, VP Country Manager of Amazon Italy, said: “Amazon reaffirms its commitment to Italy. We continue to allocate significant resources and active participation in the economic life of the country, representing an opportunity for growth and development for the territory, local businesses, and customers. Since our arrival, we have invested more than €20 billion, of which over €4 billion was in 2023 alone. We are determined to play an active role in the country’s innovation process, offering cutting-edge and sustainable solutions that can generate added value for the communities in which we operate. We are aware that there is still much to be done, and we are ready to face the challenge with dedication and a spirit of collaboration.”
Amazon in Italy through the years
After 14 years in Italy, we continue to be a source of innovation and technological and economic development. Amazon has over 60 facilities throughout the country – including operations, corporate offices, data centres, and customer service offices – and a new facility in Alessandria which is expected to create 700 permanent jobs within the next three years.
Our eleventh fulfilment centre (FC) in Italy is also in progress in Jesi, Ancona – the first in the Marche region – scheduled to open in 2025. This €180 million investment will positively impact employment in the area, with an expected creation of 1,000 permanent jobs within three years from the opening, in addition to the indirect jobs generated by the construction and operation of this new logistics site. In September 2023, we opened a new corporate office in Rome, currently the workplace of over 100 people, with room for more than 200 employees.
According to a recent Keystone Strategy study, Amazon indirectly created more than 46,000 new jobs in Italy in 2023, in sectors such as logistics, construction, and other service activities. And with 21,000 Italian SMEs selling on Amazon, the total indirect jobs number is over 100,000.
Commitment to talent
From day one, we offer our employees in Italy stable career opportunities and competitive compensation, with warehouse operator entry-level salaries set at €1,764 gross monthly pay, plus benefits like healthcare, medical and life insurance, as well as career and upskilling opportunities. Prioritising workplace safety, we invested €8.7 million in employee safety in 2023, including the purchase of new personal protective equipment, 24/7 health surveillance at all sites nationwide, and the provision of training courses.
In Europe, we have invested more than €100 million in employee training programmes since the launch of Career Choice in 2014, a programme that covers up to 95% of educational costs for up to €8,000 over four consecutive years for nationally recognised courses at 11 Italian schools. For its tenth anniversary in Europe, we committed an investment of €40 million, aiming to add over 25 new career paths to our European offering.
Italy as a technological frontrunner
As a company driven by curiosity and innovation to exceed customer expectations, Italy plays a leading role in the development of cutting-edge technologies. This year, we opened our Operations Innovation Lab in Vercelli, one of the world’s most advanced centres for robotics, with an investment of over €700 million.
Italy will also pioneer in the EU to experiment with Prime Air’s commercial drone deliveries, enabling customers to receive products directly to their homes by air.
Total tax contribution
In carrying out our commitment in Italy, we contribute to fund public services and infrastructure throughout the country through the taxes collected by the government, which fall into two categories:
- Taxes borne: Taxes directly incurred and payable by Amazon, including Corporation Tax (IRES and IRAP), taxes paid for land acquisition or construction (Property Tax, Registration Tax), payroll taxes and social security paid by employers, import duties, and the DST (Digital Service Tax);
- Taxes collected: Taxes we collect and remit from our customers, employees, and other third parties because of our business activities in Italy. These taxes include VAT and the contributions paid by our employees.
According to recent research conducted by the OECD, Corporation Tax accounts for only around 5% of the total tax revenue from Italian taxpayers.
- In 2023, the total revenues of Amazon’s activities in Italy were over €10 billion.
- In 2023, the investments of Amazon amounted to over €4 billion.
- Our total tax contribution – combining taxes borne and taxes collected– was over €1.405 billion in 2023 (+22% compared to €1.147 billion in 2022). This data breaks down into:
- The total taxes borne amounted to €344 million (+7% compared to €321 million in 2022). Employer taxes accounted for a significant portion of this amount. Other direct taxes included corporate income tax, taxes paid for land acquisition or construction, the DST (Digital Service Tax), and import duties.
- The taxes we collected and administrated for the government were more than €1 billion (+28% compared to €826 million in 2022) as a result of our business activities in Italy, in addition to the Italian VAT on transactions involving overseas sellers that Amazon collects and pays on their behalf.
According to our research with the Luiss Business School, the retail sector shows some of the highest levels of taxation in relation to added value. In 2022, the tax burden of retail (including income taxes and social charges) averaged around 20% in Italy, with e-commerce at 21%, versus 19% for traditional commerce.
- The 50 companies with the highest tax burden in Italy contributed €3.13 billion to the Italian public budget in 2022, averaging €62 million each in direct taxes and social charges.
- With a tax burden of over €321 million in 2022, Amazon ranks among the top 50 Italian businesses for overall tax contribution to the state.
Our participation in Italy’s economic life represents an opportunity for growth and development for the country, its local businesses, and its customers. We aim to create quality jobs and introduce technological innovations in the country, while fostering investment in local communities – crucial factors in promoting Italy’s economic and social progress, both nationally and internationally.
* TEHA conducted a study on employment generated by large Italian and foreign companies that have operated in Italy over the last 10 years (2014-2023), updating the same study published in 2023 (for the period 2013-2022). Source: TEHA Group elaboration on the AIDA database (Bureau van Dijk) which collects all the financial statements of companies active in Italy that filed their financial statements as of October 4, 2024.
N.B. As of October 4, 2024, the companies that filed their 2023 financial statements compared to the total sample of companies with over 250 employees and €50 million in revenue is equal to 60%. The European Commission’s classification for large companies is used as a reference.