Italians spent over €2.8 billion on Christmas Eve dinner and Christmas lunch this year, up 5% on 2014, according to estimates by consumer association Codacons.
Over €1 billion was spent on fish and meat, €520 million on wines and other beverages and €480 million on traditional Christmas desserts and sweets, Codacons said.
This is the first time in eight years that overall purchases linked to the Christmas holidays are registering growth.
At the same time, however, Italian farmers’ association Coldiretti has published more conservative estimates, claiming an estimated €2.2 billion was spent this year on Christmas meals, including around €850 million on fish and meat purchases.
According to Coldiretti, nine per cent of Italians spent December 25 at a restaurant.
© 2015 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Branislav Pekic. To subscribe to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine, click here.
