Easter is around the corner and Italians are preparing to spend a total of 2.5 billion euros on their holiday feast this year, according to a survey conducted by Ipsos in preparation for the festivities. On average, each person will allocate around 40 euros, with those opting to dine out spending an extra 10 euros for a restaurant meal. The survey reveals that these figures remain consistent with last year’s statistics for 56% of Italians, while 27% plan to spend more and 17% are looking to save compared to last year.
The survey also sheds light on the various ways Italians will be celebrating Easter. Sixty-five percent of them will have a lunch at their own or a relative’s home, while only 12% will opt for a restaurant setting. Another 9% will be traveling during the holidays. Additionally, traditional Easter dishes such as chocolate eggs (68%), doves (65%), seasonal vegetables and cured meats (both 48%), grilled meats (42%), and boiled eggs or local preparations (36%) will be present on Italian tables. Moreover, many households will include lamb in their celebrations (34%) and pizza, whether savory or sweet (22%) in their festivities.
Residents of the Islands (71%), the North East (70%), the Center (64%), and the North West (62%) are the main celebrants with their families during Easter, while those living in the south make up around 61%. It appears that Italians living in the south are most likely to celebrate Easter at a restaurant or public establishment (18%), followed by those living in the North West (11%), the Center and North East (both 10%) and finally, the Islands with only 8%.
On Easter Monday, only about one-third of Italians plan to have lunch at their own or a relative’s house, while many are on a trip out of town (34%) or enjoying themselves at different locations such as parks(13%) or friends’ houses(9%) .A few prefer having lunch at restaurants(9%) while travelling(5%)