In the middle of the largest commercial chaos, olive oil seems immune thanks to a factor: consumption in Spain

For months, a fear has persistently toured the oil world. Often fear is undefined, inaccurate, it has no face. This time, on the other hand, it was something clear and easily identifiable: producers feared that, after the crisis of recent years, the olive oil consumption figures They will not recover.

Now, the data start drawing an answer.

An extremely rational fear. Throughout the last decade, the consumption of olive oil It has been falling year after year. It is not clear why, or what are they Sociodemographic factors that influence; But yes, crisis after crisis (and with the mediation of A deep cultural and gastronomic change), wide layers of the population have gotten out of the oil and the vast majority has not returned.

It is evident that in Spain there is a “oil culture” and that, in a sense, makes the Spaniards a “captive public”. We can see it by analyzing the inelasticity of the demand. According to the year dataolive oil has been the product that has most increased this April. It is worth 62% more than last year and 100.4% more than two ago.

The demand, on the other hand, only 19.8% fell with respect to the last year and 44.5% compared to two years ago. That is the great trick of the industry and, therefore, the simple idea that this culture is eroding is terrifying for them.

And even more in times of change. Not just for The commercial chaos that has caused the tariff vailed of the US, but for The endemic paradoxes of the Spanish oil industry. Do not forget that we talk about a sector that, despite growing 15% every yearis seeing how its productive structure is de -industrialized to forced marches.

But Spain has returned. After several bad years, this campaign has finally been the return to normal. That has hehco that prices, little to Cpoco, return to normal. In February, in fact, the year -on -year price had already fallen by 40%.

But the good news is another: that demand has grown 48%, According to Nielsen data collected by Cordopolis.

Has the curse broken? It is still early to know. In a few months, we can examine in detail how sales go and we can know if consumption levels have really recovered or not. But the sensations are good.

And more at a time when, despite everything, the Oleícola sector has managed not to resent with the tariff measures of Donald Trump. For the first time in years, a smile is intuited in the Olivos Sea.

Image | Norberto Ortiz

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