Olive oil is considered the liquid gold of a balanced and Mediterranean diet. Despite the fact that Spain is a producer of this type of oil, a recent study reveals that consumption is lower than we thought.
Juan Vilar Consultores Estratégicos, an international olive oil analyst consultancy, will present this analysis in the next edition of Expoliva during the month of September. However, some of the most relevant data on the consumption of olive oil in our country have already been revealed. How will the pandemic have affected the purchase of oils?
Spain is not the country that consumes the most olive oil
Although many believe that Spain is the country that consumes the most oil of this type, the study reveals that we are wrong. San Marino, Italy, consumes 22 kilos of oil per person per year. It is the largest per capita consumer, taking into account that the world average intake is 450 grams per year and person.
After San Marino, Greece follows closely with a consumption of 12 kilos per capita and Spain with 11 kilos of olive oil per person and year. Then the Vatican would follow, with 10,7 kilos; Italy, with 8,2 kilos and Portugal, with 7,9 kilos. It should also be noted that the country that consumes the most without being a producer of this oil is Iceland, with a total demand of 5 kilos per year and person.
Worldwide, only 67 countries produce olive oil and 198 consume it. The study shows that the world's largest consumer is a religious man (Catholic, Buddhist or Muslim). In addition, the average age of the consumer is usually between 49 and 75 years, with several children, a medium or high level of education and a medium income range. Most people (70%) consume it inside their homes, although when they go out they usually drink it in bars and restaurants.
Spaniards consume more refined oil
In Spain, the most common consumer is also a man, normally over 49 years of age. “Age is a factor to take into account, because when a man dies, an oil consumer is potentially lost, but when a child is born, the sector does not gain a customer", explains the company that carried out the study.
As we said before, the Spanish consume 11,76 kilos of oil per year, have a medium purchasing power, and a medium or high academic level. However, the refined oil it continues to be the most consumed in our country, although little by little it is being equated with the predilection for virgin olive oil.
The study also highlights how the purchase of oil was during the pandemic. “CThus, 1 kilo of olive oil consumed by each Spaniard has been purchased online, more than 5 kilos in local stores and supermarkets, and 3 kilos in hypermarkets. The rest is acquired in oil mills and other types of establishments”. We will have to wait a few months to find out if this buying trend is maintained in the long term or if it is only due to the extraordinary mobility limits.