Mountain areas and the growing scarcity of essential services: the evolution of retail business density in mountain municipalities in Lombardy (Italy), 2001-2021

In small mountain villages, the presence of commercial businesses plays a crucial role in the liveability of the areas and the wellbeing of inhabitants. However, these businesses - much like other services of general interest - tend to decrease in number, contributing to marginalisation of the local communities they serve and widening the gaps with more densely urbanised areas. This paper analyses the process behind the growing scarcity of retail businesses in the 509 mountain municipalities in Lombardy between 2001 and 2021. It considers the dynamics of retail density indices in terms of local units and employees in relation to the resident population, as well as outlining the different evolutionary trajectories of these mountain municipalities based on altitude, population size, and specialisation. The paper highlights how over the twenty years in question, the vast mountain area of Lombardy has seen its distribution network dwindle significantly and the number of available jobs increase modestly compared to regional trends. In addition, incidents of commercial desertification have increased, and the distribution system has often become more concentrated in the 23 mountain communities. The municipalities that have shown strong performance and growth in terms of business density are largely located in the valley, have more than 5,000 inhabitants, and have a local economy geared towards production and tourism.