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Published: 3 December 2020 13:20 CET
Updated: 5 December 2020 11:07 CET

Christmas shopping in Rome. Photo: Andreas Solaro/AFP

The cashback di Natale or 'Christmas cashback' scheme is the latest incentive in the government's 'Cashless Italy' strategy, aimed to encourage people to swap cash for card in order to make payments easier to trace and help authorities root out tax evasion.

It comes alongside prizes for people who rack up the highest number of card payments, as well as a lotteria degli scontrini, or 'receipt lottery', which gives consumers and business owners the chance to win up to €5 million for making or taking electronic payments. 

While the government is planning to introduce a long-term cashback scheme from 2021, it's giving consumers a chance to start earning refunds on their Christmas shopping from this month.

Here's how it works. 

You can start earning Christmas cashback from December 8th and continue until December 31st, and you can register for the reward scheme right away.

To be eligible you must be a resident in Italy, over 18, and registered using the government’s IO app for accessing public services. 

To register, you'll need either an electronic ID, known as a SPID, or a valid Italian ID card with a microchip and PIN (a carta d’Identità elettronica, or CIE).

You'll also need a bank account and a credit, debit or PagoBancomat card, or the Satispay shopping app.

Before spending anything, register for the cashback scheme on the IO app, designate which card you want to use, and give the details of the bank account where you want to receive your refund.

Once you've made enough payments to qualify, the government will transfer your cashback to your account early next year.

Make ten payments on your designated card between December 8th-31st and you'll get 10 percent of the total amount back, up to a maximum of €150.

There's no minimum spend, so even paying for a coffee by card counts. Nor is there a maximum, though the refund is capped at €15 per transaction (in other words, payments over €150 won't earn you any extra).

The government says it will count payments not only in all shops and supermarkets but also in bars and restaurants, as well as to tradespeople and professionals – so paying your hairdresser, plumber, lawyer or architect by card also qualifies.

Shopping online won't count, however. Nor will paying business expenses, topping up your phone credit at an ATM, or making direct debits or other recurring payments.

Yes – though the rewards won't be quite as good value. 

From January 1st, you'll have to make at least 50 card payments over six months to earn cashback, which will which remain capped at €150 total and €15 per single transaction. 

Therefore the most you'll be able to earn over the whole of 2021 is €300, for at least 100 transactions.

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Published: 6 May 2022 11:16 CEST

Seasonal workers, domestic and cleaning staff, the self-employed, the unemployed and those on Italy’s ‘citizens’ income’ will be added to the categories of people in Italy eligible for a one-off €200 payment, ministers reportedly announced on Thursday evening.

The one-time bonus, announced earlier this week as part of a package of financial measures designed to offset the rising cost of living, was initially set to be for pensioners and workers on an income of less than €35,000 only.

However the government has now agreed to extend the payment to the additional groups following pressure from Italy’s labour, families, and regional affairs ministers and representatives of the Five Star Movement, according to news agency Ansa.

For other groups, a special fund will be created at the Labour Ministry and the procedures for claiming and distributing payments detailed in an incoming decree, according to the Corriere della Sera news daily.

One new measure introduced at the cabinet meeting on Thursday is the introduction of a one-time €60 public transport bonus for students and workers earning below €35,000. The bonus is reportedly designed to encourage greater use of public transport and will take the form of an e-voucher that can be used when purchasing a bus, train or metro season pass.

Other provisions reportedly proposed in the energy and investment decree (decreto energia e investimenti), which is still being adjusted and amended, include extending energy bill discounts, cutting petrol excise duty and rolling on the deadline to claim Italy’s popular ‘superbonus 110’.

The €14 billion aid package, intended to lessen the economic impact of the war in Ukraine, will “fight the higher cost of living” and is “a temporary situation”, Prime Minister Mario Draghi has said.

The Local will report further details of the payment scheme once they become available following final approval of the decree.

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