Italians have spent about 1.4 billion euros to set up the Easter tables, staying in their homes in almost 9 out of 10 cases (88%), while only 10% took advantage of the derogations to leave the home within the limits set: this is the budget estimated by Coldiretti / Ixe 'from which it emerges that the kitchen and the table are classified as the main entertainment of Italians in the armored red Easter.
"A trend demonstrated - underlines Coldiretti - by the 15% increase in spending compared to last year but well below the values of the past with restaurants, trattorias and agritourisms open. There are then on average 4 people who sat together at the table, even though 2.5 million people celebrated in solitude ".
With all the restaurants closed for table service, many have also resorted to 'meal delivery' which in Italy in the year of the pandemic recorded a record turnover of 706 million euros with an annual increase 19%.
"A breath of fresh air for many catering businesses - according to Coldiretti - which has also extended to agritourisms with many facilities in Campagna Amica and Terranostra that have undertaken to deliver the Easter lunch directly to homes".
"But there are also 5.6 million Italians in absolute poverty - underlines the organization - forced to ask for help to eat in these Easter holidays, 1 million more than last year with the negative record since the beginning of the century, according to an analysis carried out on Istat data. Among the new poor there are those who have lost their jobs, small traders or artisans who have had to close, people employed in the underground who do not enjoy particular subsidies or public aid and have no savings set aside, as well as many temporary workers or those with occasional activities who have been stopped by the limitations made necessary by the spread of Covid infections ".