Summary
In 2020, a study on consumer behaviour was launched to analyse the consumption of olive oil in member countries, which has undergone significant changes in volume and by groups of countries in recent years.
The survey shows that changes in eating habits (63%), especially in younger generations, rising prices (27%) and falling incomes (17%) were behind the reduction in olive oil consumption.
Half of the consumers indicate that they consume the same amount of olive oils, 39% say they have increased their consumption and only 8% have reduced it, while 1% have stopped consuming.
If the group that did not increase its consumption in previous years would start increasing it by one liter per year, the consumption in Spain could increase by around 28 000 tonnes per year.
The statistics available on production, exports, imports and the consumption of oil in Spain show that olive oil is the most produced and the most exported oil in Spain. In terms of consumption, olive oil is consumed in roughly the same proportions as sunflower oil. Sunflower oil, unlike olive oil, is mainly imported from abroad, and its local production is about four times lower than that of olive oil. However, as a cheaper alternative to olive oil, when the purchasing power of Spanish consumers fell and/or olive oil prices rose, consumers turned to sunflower oil, thus giving it a dominant role.
Why consumption has drop?
There has been a slight decline in olive oil consumption over the last 15 years, but at the same time a very slight increase in sunflower oil consumption, which shows that there has been no substitution. Half of the consumers indicate that they consume the same amount of olive oils (all types: olive oil, virgin olive oil and extra virgin olive oil), 39% say they have increased their consumption and only 8% have reduced it, while 1% have stopped consuming.
There are small regional differences, but the figures for reduced consumption and discontinuation are fairly homogeneous, between 6 and 10%. These changes can be explained to some extent by economic factors, as the economic crisis hit Spain hard from 2008. This has resulted in very high levels of unemployment, significantly lower purchasing power, and lower private final consumption expenditure, all of which have also influenced a slight shift in the purchase of olive oil towards a cheaper alternative, sunflower oil. At the same time, olive oil prices have risen due to increased external demand in foreign markets willing to pay more for the product. This combination has led to the lowest income consumers stopping or reducing their consumption, up to 15% of those earning less than €1 000 per month.
The study also reflects the characteristics of the HoReCa sector regarding olive oil, and the strong impact that covid-19 has had on it, leading to a further decline in 2020, which is expected to continue in 2021, in contrast to the increase in household consumption, also due to the pandemic.
However, economic aspects are not the only ones that have influenced the consumption of olive oil and other oils in Spain. The sources analysed and the survey show that the other reason is changes in eating habits over the last 15 years, especially in younger generations. The latter cook less at home, eat out and buy more semi-processed or ready-made food. This affects the quantities of olive oil and other oils consumed in households.
Falling incomes and rising prices were behind the reduction in olive oil consumption in the lower income strata, but not in the higher income strata (83% for those under €1 000 and 40% for those under €2 500, compared to 32% for those under €4 000 and 25% for the rest), who have mainly changed their eating habits. There is a correlation between income level and the reasons for reduced consumption. Therefore, although olive oil is considered healthier than other oils, the decrease in frying and the tendency to consume less fat have an impact on the total quantities consumed.
Despite this, recent years have seen a trend towards recovery in the consumption of olive oil in Spain, due to the gradual improvement of the economic situation until covid-19, which has allowed Spaniards to spend a little more on better quality products without necessarily being very price sensitive.
As for the future, 2020 saw growth in the consumption of the different olive oils, due to the fact that people have been forced to cook and spend more time at home, which shows the importance of household consumption in the consumption of olive oil.
As the survey indicates that only 23% are likely or certain to increase their consumption of olive oil, against 37% who will not and 37% who are neutral, the focus should be on the latter group, to try to recover some of the lost volume, especially in the potential areas that tend to return to consumption in the future: the south with 37%, the northwest with 34% and the northeast with 32%. However, unemployment is once again on the rise, in reported rather than explicit figures, given the population on ERTE (technical unemployment) and the drop in GDP, again due to covid-19.
Consumer habits
The most widespread use is for salads and dressings, with 68% for extra virgin olive oil, followed by virgin olive oil with 35% and olive oil with 27%. By area, the values vary from 62 to 71%, but the general trend does not change. For bread, the figures are more balanced between olive oil and butter, but there are regional differences: in the northwest and northeast, butter is preferred because these are dairy regions, while olive oil is more popular in the south and east, and in the big cities.
On the other hand, for frying, sunflower oil predominates on the basis of price with 46%, against 44% for olive oil, except in Barcelona, the centre-south, the northwest, the north and in Madrid, where the equality is very strong. The high use of sunflower oil in the south, the main olive-growing area, is explained by a lower disposable income. In general, there are differences between the autonomous communities, but also a difference according to income, since the higher the income, the greater the use of olive oil. Finally, for hot cooking, 44% opt for olive oil, followed by 34% and 38% for virgin olive oil and extra virgin olive oil, and far behind the other alternatives. Only in southern Spain do these figures change, and extra virgin olive oil is used in most cases.
Shopping habits
The main points of sale are supermarkets (74%) and hypermarkets (44%). However, in production areas, oil mills are more important (20%). Just over 70% of consumers say they are willing to spend time on food shopping and cooking.
Reasons for buying
Between 70% and 82% of those questioned are very or somewhat interested in the fact that the product is good for their health, that it helps them to take care of themselves and that it helps them to maintain their weight, which corroborates what has been said above. On the question of buying olive oil, virgin olive oil or extra virgin olive oil, there is no clear reason: the reasons are widely spread, with eleven reasons above 17%.
The most important reasons are price (44%), taste (41%) or indication of taste (32%), brand (31%), geographical area or country (29% and 27%) and presentation (28%).
Almost three quarters prefer environmentally friendly products and almost 70% prefer to buy local products from the region and the same proportion prefer national products.
Two-thirds of respondents want to support farmers and help maintain populations in rural areas. The majority (79%) consider it crucial to know about cooking and food.
Price
Although according to the survey, 82% are willing to pay more for quality products, it is also true that 54% want the product to be cheap. In addition, secondary sources show that almost two thirds of the population base their decision on what type of oil to buy mainly on price. Therefore, any decrease in purchasing power or increase in the price of olive oil could reduce consumption in favour of sunflower oil.
In terms of price, there is a correlation between the quality of the type of oil and the amount consumers are willing to spend, with virgin and extra virgin oils being more popular than olive oils. PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) and organic oils are also valued, but not as much as one would expect – although 79% of those surveyed said that they have more confidence in oils of controlled origin – or as seen in other markets such as Italy.
Product knowledge
Most respondents consider that they have knowledge about olive oil, 54% say they have good/sufficient knowledge and 39% little knowledge. On the other hand, 83% consider olive oils are among the most important foods. However, 61% are not sure that olive oil is olive juice. Other questions also show that there is still a lot of consumer education work to be done, even at farmers markets.
Consumer access
The following points stand out: first, almost 70% of respondents say they like to watch programmes and spend time looking for information on cooking and food. Between 53% and 65% of respondents prefer to get information from TV shows and documentaries, trade magazines and books, as well as from YouTube, either occasionally or often. The least important sources are influencers, social networks and subscriptions to websites and newsletters (62% and 61% never or rarely). There is hardly any essential age difference between those who watch documentaries and TV shows from time to time (36%-40%). On the other hand, young people use TV programmes or documentaries more frequently than older people (46+%): between a third and 46% often, and over 10% very often. However, there is a generational difference, as 85% of young people (up to 30 years old) follow trends on social networks: 10% very often, almost a third often and 25% up to 45 years old rarely or sometimes. The main users of YouTube are young people. A fifth of 18–30-year-olds consult this network very often and a third often; 12% of 31–45-year-olds very often, 27% often; 27 to 35% of people of all ages from time to time; 18% of 46–65-year-olds often. Finally, the number of readers of magazines and traditional media continues to decline. Therefore, segmented media campaigns for the different age groups are needed.
Introduction
In 2020, a study on consumer behaviour was launched to analyse the consumption of olive oil in member countries, which has undergone significant changes in volume and by groups of countries in recent years.
Changes in world consumption has almost doubled since 1990/91. The main feature of this evolution is the growth of consumption in non-IOC countries, which has increased steadily over previous decades from about 14% to 30% of world consumption.
On the other hand, consumption in the EU has been on a downward trend since the 2004/05 crop year, falling from around 70% of the world total in 2004/05 to around 50% at present. When consumption started to fall in the EU, it increased in the rest of the world.
For this reason, the study on consumer behaviour was considered necessary to analyse the variables involved
in consumption and understand what caused its decline in some countries.
The study shows that there are significant differences in some aspects according to geographical area and income level, but very few according to gender and the presence or absence of children in the household, as shown by the quantitative study.
Main country indicators
Spain has a total surface area of 505,990 km2 2,733,620 ha of which are used for olive growing. The per capita Gross domestic value at current prices is around 28 800$ in 2019. The gross value added of agriculture (agriculture, forestry and fishing) accounts for 2.56% of gross domestic product. The population is 46 736,780, and 19.31% live in rural areas. Life expectancy is 83.49
years, with an average of 1.24 children per woman. As for the Human Development Index, spain is ranked twenty-fifth.
Economy
The Spanish economy is the 14th largest in the world in terms of nominal GDP and one of the largest in the world in terms of purchasing power parity. In 2019, the country’s GDP was about $1.4 trillion. Spain’s economy is the sixth largest in Europe, behind Germany, the UK, France, Italy and Russia, and the fourth largest in the Eurozone according to nominal GDP statistics. In 2019, Spain was the 15th largest exporter and 14th largest importer in the world. Spain ranks 25th in the United Nations Human Development Index and 30th in the World Bank’s GDP per capita, making it a high-income economy and a country with very high human development.
According to the World Bank report, Spain experienced the sharpest contraction of GDP in 2009 (almost 4%) because of the crisis that began in 2008. After this sharp fall, the Spanish economy did not show signs of recovery until 2014, when its growth resumed, albeit at a moderate rate of 2-4% per year between 2015 and 2019. The 2020 fall figures are the highest in Europe, but we have not included them in our current study as they are too recent and would not allow for in-depth analysis.
Unemployment in Spain rose from 11.5% in 2004 to 8% in 2007, before reaching over 26% in 2013 due to the financial crisis. It did not return to 14% until 2019. The crisis and its consequences hit Spain hard after 2008 and had a major impact on consumers’ purchasing power. So, until 2013, while the unemployment rate was increasing, final private consumption expenditure was decreasing.
Between 2008 and 2013, private final consumption expenditure fell from nearly €160 billion to €150 billion, and during these five years there was no sign of recovery. It was only from 2013 onwards that consumption began to grow steadily again until it reached almost €180 billion in 2019.
Population
Spain’s population grew steadily between 2004 and 2011, from 43.3 million to a peak of 47 million in 2011, mainly due to immigration. In 2012, the population began to decline slightly, before stabilizing from 2014 to 2020. The significant increase in population between 2004 and 2011 was due to regular immigration, mainly from Africa, South America and Eastern Europe. But, when the crisis hit, immigration slowed and some Spaniards emigrated to other Western European countries and some immigrants returned.
Olive oil figures
The following links contain information on production, consumption, imports and exports of olive oil. The files are stored on the IOC web site.
Olive oil Dashboard
EU export figures
EU import figures
Import figures
Olive oil prices
Consumption
The graph below shows how olive oil consumption in Spain changed between the crop years 1990/1991 and 2019/2020. The highest consumption was observed in 2001/2002 when it reached more than 631 000 tonnes. Consumption then remained fairly stable until the 2012/2013 crop year, between 530 000 and 580 000 tonnes per year, with a one-off drop in 2005/2006. From 2012/2013 onwards, a slight decrease in olive oil consumption was observed, which started to evolve between 440 000 and 530 000 tonnes per year until the 2019/2020 crop year. The drops in consumption have been more pronounced in Italy and Greece.
Spain produces almost half of the olive oil consumed in the world. As a result, olive oil consumption in Spain has also reached record highs. Monthly consumption in 2019 was just over one liter per month per person, for a total of 515 million tonnes consumed in Spain per year, according to IOC data. This consumption had a more than notable economic impact, translating into a turnover of around €1 300 million. Although olive oil in Spain is mainly used for cooking, its consumption has seen a downward trend in recent years.
Among the member countries of the IOC during the 2019/2020 crop year, Albania and Morocco stand out with values above 3.5kg of olive oil consumption per inhabitant and year. The consumption per inhabitant and year of the group of EU is 3kg. The spanish consumption is around 11.2Kg.
IOC members
Non IOC members
Production
Spain is the world’s leading producer of olive oil. It also grows the most olive trees in the world, accounting for 50% of the land dedicated to olive growing in Europe. Production is mostly concentrated in Andalusia (80%), followed by Castilla-La Mancha (8%), Extremadura (5%) and Catalonia (3%). Spain cultivates 260 varieties of olive trees, but the most important is Picual, which takes up 50% of the olive trees in Spain. Olive oil produced from the Picual variety is favoured for its high polyphenol content and long shelf life. Other important Spanish varieties are Hojiblanca, Cornicabra, Arbequina, Lechín de Sevilla, Verdial, Empeltre and Picudo. More than 1 800 oil mills process Spanish olives into olive oil. In 2018, 3.26 million tonnes of olive oil were produced worldwide, of which 1.24 million tonnes were produced in Spain, representing more than 38% of total world olive oil production. Europe produces most of the world’s olive oil and Spain plays a major role in its production.
Comparing the production of olive oil and other edible oils and fats1 in Spain shows that olive oil has been the most produced oil in Spain during the last 15 years, with soybean oil and sunflower oil being produced in quantities about 3 times lower. Soybean oil production has increased from around 400 000-550 000 tonnes in the years 2004-2007 to 600 000-700 000 tonnes in 2008-2015. Unfortunately, full figures for soybean oil are not available for 2010 and the last four years (only refined soybean oil is presented for these years). Similarly, sunflower oil production has seen some increase in 2010-2016, with quantities reaching 800 000-900 000 tonnes, and even higher figures in the last three years (around 1 070 000-1 090 000 tonnes), compared to the beginning of the analysis period, when production was between 650 000-800 000 tonnes per year.
1 Source: PRODCOM EUROSTAT
Imports and exports
Spain is the largest supplier of olive oil to other European countries and the world. In 2019, it exported 1.1 million tonnes of olive oil, of which 60% was extra virgin olive oil, 26% was non-virgin olive oil, 11% was other virgin olive oil and 9% was olive pomace oil. The highest rate of export growth was for extra virgin olive oil, rising from 589 000 tonnes in 2017 to 725 000 tonnes in 2019. Most of Spain’s olive oil exports to other European countries, especially Italy, are in bulk. About 65% of Spanish olive oil is exported to other European countries. In 2019, the main destination for Spanish olive oil exports was Italy (1/3 of all olive oil exports), followed by the United States (12%), Portugal (11%), France (9%) and the United Kingdom (4%). Canada was the fastest growing export destination, increasing from 1 500 tonnes in 2015 to nearly 10 000 tonnes in 2019. Over the past year, additional tariffs applied by the US have hit exports hard.
During the 2019/2020 crop year, Spanish olive oil imports reached their highest level of the previous four crop years. A total of 208 500 tonnes of olive oil were imported into the country between October 2019 and June 2020, an increase of 71% compared to the same period of the 2018/19 crop year and an increase of 86% compared to the average of the previous four crop years. The increase in imports to Spain is a direct result of the tariffs the US imposed on imports of packaged Spanish olive oil. In 2019, Spain was the largest importer of Tunisian olive oil in Europe, with a share of 48%, followed by Italy with 43%. Spain also imports almost all the olive pomace oil exported by Tunisia.
Eating habits
As the statistics show, Spanish consumers mainly use olive oil and sunflower oil in their homes. According to a study on the use and consumption habits regarding olive oil in Spain, carried out by the Interprofesional aceite de oliva (2014). (Usos y hábitos de consumo del Aceite de Oliva en España, MARM), the use of olive oil is mainly associated with vegetables and cold dishes, as a seasoning. In these cases, the consumption of virgin and extra virgin olive oil is higher than that of conventional olive oil. Pastries and fried foods are the least associated with olive oil. At breakfast, it is common to offer toast with a drizzle of olive oil. This is confirmed by our quantitative survey.
Despite this, over the last 15 years consumption habits have changed as regards oils and fats in Spain, especially olive oil, and especially among young consumers. This is mainly due to changes in the lifestyle of young consumers, who tend to cook less at home and eat out more. Moreover, as mentioned in one of the reports, when cooking at home, young Spaniards tend to consume more semi-prepared foods or even ready-made meals, thus using fewer basic ingredients such as oil, and more specifically olive oil.
The difference in olive oil consumption between the younger and older generations was clearly marked in data published by the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries. In 2018, more than two-thirds of olive oil was consumed by Spaniards over the age of 50. “The report also noted that the vast majority of people who consume olive oil and other types of vegetable oils are older and that olive oil consumption among young people in Spain is still quite low. According to the Ministry’s data, Spaniards aged 50 and over consumed 71.7% of the non-virgin olive oil consumed in Spain in 2018, 66.5% of virgin olive oil and 69.4% of extra virgin olive oil. Meanwhile, Spaniards under 35 contributed 5.6% of non-virgin olive oil consumption, 6.6% of virgin olive oil consumption and 5.6% of extra virgin olive oil consumption.”
Olive oil is perceived by Spanish consumers as a staple food and has so far failed to acquire an image of a higher value product among most consumers. As a result, it is undervalued in terms of nutritional and health values, especially compared with other European countries. As a result, Spanish consumers are price sensitive and easily switch to other cheaper oils, especially sunflower oil, when the price of olive oil increases. As a result, the price of food is considered more than its healthy characteristics. This is particularly true in areas with different incomes, as shown in our study by area.
In Spain, young consumers tend to have a lower perception of olive oil. Besides prices, which have a negative impact on image and consumption, the surveys also highlight two aspects that affect interest in olive oil: organoleptic characteristics and the credibility of the label.
Apart from the price and the Spanish origin of the product, according to the studies, other aspects are less decisive for the image of the product in question among consumers, and are less important in the purchase decision. Despite this, these aspects are expected to become increasingly important in the coming years and are probably responsible, to some extent, for the recent growth in consumption. These aspects are organoleptic characteristics, in terms of product differentiation from different flavours (as well as taste, colour, acidity), and more specific designations of origin and organic certification.
Why has consumption drop?
There has been a slight decline in olive oil consumption over the last 15 years, but at the same time a very slight increase in sunflower oil consumption, which shows that there has been no substitution. Half of the consumers indicate that they consume the same amount of olive oils (all types: olive oil, virgin olive oil and extra virgin olive oil), 39% say they have increased their consumption and only 8% have reduced it, while 1% have stopped consuming.
There are small regional differences, but the figures for reduced consumption and discontinuation are fairly homogeneous, between 6 and 10%. These changes can be explained to some extent by economic factors, as the economic crisis hit Spain hard from 2008. This has resulted in very high levels of unemployment, significantly lower purchasing power, and lower private final consumption expenditure, all of which have also influenced a slight shift in the purchase of olive oil towards a cheaper alternative, sunflower oil. At the same time, olive oil prices have risen due to increased external demand in foreign markets willing to pay more for the product. This combination has led to the lowest income consumers stopping or reducing their consumption, up to 15% of those earning less than €1 000 per month.
Despite this, recent years have seen a trend towards recovery in the consumption of olive oil in Spain, due to the gradual improvement of the economic situation until covid-19, which has allowed Spaniards to spend a little more on better quality products without necessarily being very price sensitive.
As for the future, 2020 saw growth in the consumption of the different olive oils, due to the fact that people have been forced to cook and spend more time at home, which shows the importance of household consumption in the consumption of olive oil.
As the survey indicates that only 23% are likely or certain to increase their consumption of olive oil, against 37% who will not and 37% who are neutral, the focus should be on the latter group, to try to recover some of the lost volume, especially in the potential areas that tend to return to consumption in the future: the south with 37%, the northwest with 34% and the northeast with 32%. However, unemployment is once again on the rise, in reported rather than explicit figures, given the population on ERTE (technical unemployment) and the drop in GDP, again due to covid-19.
Do you consume more, the same or less than 10 years ago?
How many people live with you?
Children in the household
Why did you stop or consume less?
Children in the household
If circumstances change in the future
What kind of vegetable/animal oil or fat do you usually use?
The most widespread use is for salads and dressings, with 68% for extra virgin olive oil, followed by virgin olive oil with 35% and olive oil with 27%. By area, the values vary from 62 to 71%, but the general trend does not change.
For bread, the figures are more balanced between olive oil and butter, but there are regional differences: in the northwest and northeast, butter is preferred because these are dairy regions, while olive oil is more popular in the south and east, and in the big cities.
On the other hand, for frying, sunflower oil predominates on the basis of price with 46%, against 44% for olive oil, except in Barcelona, the centre-south, the northwest, the north and in Madrid, where the equality is very strong. The high use of sunflower oil in the south, the main olive-growing area, is explained by a lower disposable income.
In general, there are differences between the autonomous communities, but also a difference according to income, since the higher the income, the greater the use of olive oil. Finally, for hot cooking, 44% opt for olive oil, followed by 34% and 38% for virgin olive oil and extra virgin olive oil, and far behind the other alternatives. Only in southern Spain do these figures change, and extra virgin olive oil is used in most cases.
Reasons for purchase
Between 70 and 82% of those questioned are very or somewhat interested in the fact that the product is good for their health, that it helps them to take care of themselves and that it helps them to maintain their weight, which corroborates what has been said above.
On the question of buying olive oil, virgin olive oil or extra virgin olive oil, there is no clear reason: the reasons are widely spread, with eleven reasons above 17%. The most important reasons are price (45%), taste (41%) or indication of taste (32%), brand (31%), geographical area or country (29% and 27%) and presentation (28%).
Almost three quarters prefer environmentally friendly products and almost 70% prefer to buy local products from the region and the same proportion prefer national products.
Two-thirds of respondents want to support farmers and help maintain populations in rural areas. The majority (79%) consider it crucial to know about cooking and food.
The main points of sale are supermarkets (74%) and hypermarkets (44%). However, in production areas, oil mills are more important (+20%). Just over 70% of consumers say they are willing to spend time on food shopping and cooking.
Where do you usually buy it?
How do you choose it or what do you look to buy it?
What kind of issues and characteristics do you have in mind when buying food?
Classified by
Studies
How many people live with you?
Children in the household
Tell me if you agree with the following statements:
Classified by
How many people live with you?
Children in the household
Prices
Although according to the survey, 82% are willing to pay more for quality products, it is also true that 54% want the product to be cheap. In addition, secondary sources show that almost two thirds of the population base their decision on what type of oil to buy mainly on price.
Therefore, any decrease in purchasing power or increase in the price of olive oil could reduce consumption in favour of sunflower oil. In terms of price, there is a correlation between the quality of the type of oil and the amount consumers are willing to spend, with virgin and extra virgin oils being more popular than olive oils. PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) and organic oils are also valued, but not as much as one would expect, although 79% of those surveyed said that they have more confidence in oils of controlled origin, or as seen in other markets such as Italy.
What should be a reasonable price per liter for the following oils?
Tell me if you agree with the following statements
Knowledge
Most respondents consider that they have knowledge about olive oil, 54% say they have good/sufficient knowledge and 39% little knowledge. On the other hand, 83% consider olive oils are among the most important foods. However, 61% are not sure that olive oil is olive juice. Other questions also show that there is still a lot of consumer education work to be done, even at farmers markets.
The following points stand out: first, almost 70% of respondents say they like to watch programmes and spend time looking for information on cooking and food. Between 53% and 65% of respondents prefer to get information from TV shows and documentaries, trade magazines and books, as well as from YouTube, either occasionally or often. The least important sources are influencers, social networks and subscriptions to websites and newsletters (62% and 61% never or rarely).
There is hardly any essential age difference between those who watch documentaries and TV shows from time to time (36%-40%). On the other hand, young people use TV programmes or documentaries more frequently than older people (46+%): between a third and 46% often, and over 10% very often. However, there is a generational difference, as 85% of young people (up to 30 years old) follow trends on social networks: 10% very often, almost a third often and 25% up to 45 years old rarely or sometimes. The main users of YouTube are young people. A fifth of 18–30-year-olds consult this network very often and a third often; 12% of 31–45-year-olds very often, 27% often; 27 to 35% of people of all ages from time to time; 18% of 46–65-year-olds often. Finally, the number of readers of magazines and traditional media continues to decline. Therefore, segmented media campaigns for the different age groups are needed.
What do you think you know about olive oil?
Do you think olive oils are among the most important foods for you?
In your opinion, the following statements are true or false (I)?
Classified by
How many people live with you?
Children in the household
In your opinion, the following statements are true or false (II)?
Do you agree or disagree with the following statements?
Classified by
How many people live with you?
Children in the household
Classified by
How many people live with you?
Children in the household
Some of the data are subject to review. Figures are subject to change or correction without notice.
Last update: 2022-March-30
IOC own elaboration based on a structured survey of 2032 panelist households. In Spain, the questionnaire was launched in November 2020.
Within each area, a simple random sampling of households was carried out, respecting quotas, specifically: age, active/unemployed status and educational level.
Geographical areas were determined according to the Nielsen zones. The final effective distribution was as follows:
Spain, those that appear on modified Nielsen zones, separating the cities of Madrid and Barcelona:
- Barcelona capital and metropolitan area,
- Madrid capital and metropolitan area,
- Zone 1: Northeast (Aragon, Catalonia or Balearic Islands),
- Zone 2: Levante (C. Valenciana, Albacete or Region of Murcia),
- Zone 3: Andalusia or Badajoz,
- Zone 4: Center-South (Castilla la Mancha, Castilla-León (except Burgos and Palencia), Cáceres and Madrid, without the capital),
- Zone 5: Northwest (Galicia and Principality of Asturias),
- Zone 6: North (Cantabria, Basque Country, La Rioja and Navarra, Burgos and Palencia)
Contact: International Olive Council - Economic and Promotion Unit - Economic Research and Statistics Department.
https://www.internationaloliveoil.org/
