by FFE EU News Staff

It seems like the recession has helped Italians stay true to a positive New Year’s resolution.  Farmer’s association Coldiretti announced that around €200m of food and drink were ‘spared from the landfill’ on New Year’s Eve.

Coldiretti said this was because Italians have become more mindful of their food spending and waste. According to a survey on New Year’s celebration, 73% of Italians cut down on spending, 26% said meal portions were smaller and 56% said they will save leftovers for another day.

The association said ‘Saving leftovers is a choice that helps the economy and the environment.’ In total, Italians spent €1.9 billion on food this year, 5% less than a year ago. Nevertheless, Coldiretti said that Italians enjoyed around 80m bottles of sparkling wine, 6.5m kilos of cotechino pork sausage and 10m kilos of lentils on Tuesday night.

The Italian’s changing attitude towards food consumption and spending has earlier been noted by the Chamber of Commerce. Today, Italians are spending more cautiously, with many choosing healthier options over junk food.