CIV CONFESERCENTICIV
Confesercenti
Shopping in your local neighbourhood shops
CIV stands for ‘Centro Integrato di Via’ (Integrated Street Centre), which defines several urban areas with significant commercial activity. Eight of these centres are part of the ‘Wander, Wonder, Shop’ Project, a joint initiative by Confesercenti and Regione Liguria, aiming to:
- Enhance the CIVs and support the local businesses located on these streets by leveraging their territorial affiliation.
- Promote local, in-person shopping experiences and highlight the unique character of each area, fostering a sense of connection between consumers and their geographic surroundings.
- Assist local businesses in competing against large-scale distribution, which often draws customers to distant commercial areas, thereby neglecting smaller neighbourhoods.
- Showcase products that are characteristic and traditional to the region, each with its own unique narrative, rather than relying solely on impersonal online distribution channels.
An innovative project to promote CIVs
The integrated Street Centres combine the positive aspects of other common forms of aggregation: they take the criterion of territoriality from street associations and the aim of creating solid bonds from Consortiums.
CIVs are a network of businesses and activities located in a precisely defined perimeter that is established together with the municipalities to which they belong.
“Wander, Wonder, Shop” is a project that endorses mindful consumption and fosters connections with businesses that resist the trends of mass distribution and online retail. In exchange for competitive pricing, patrons benefit from personal interaction with shopkeepers, both pre- and post-sale. In other words: stronger social bonds, mindful consumption, vast product diversity, low environmental impact, and deeper appreciation of the cultural richness of the area.