Italians are willing to pay a 14 % premium for the health benefits of olive oil

Italian consumers are willing to pay more for extra virgin olive oil when its label carries an authorized health claim. This was shown by a study conducted by researchers at the University of Palermo in 2025 among 1,016 consumers representative of the Italian population in terms of age, gender and education.

Participants were willing to pay an average of €9.30 per liter for 100% Italian extra virgin olive oil. For a product carrying an authorized claim about olive oil polyphenols helping protect blood lipids from oxidative stress, consumers were willing to pay an additional €1.31/liter. This represents a price premium of 14.09%.

Researchers found that willingness to pay more was largely unaffected by age or education. However, subjective knowledge played an important role: consumers who considered themselves knowledgeable about olive oil showed different purchasing patterns and were more likely to prefer direct sales channels.

The origin of the olives emerged as one of the most important factors influencing the choice of extra virgin olive oil. PDO and PGI certifications and product traceability were also important to consumers. By contrast, advertising, label appearance and low prices had the least influence on purchasing decisions.

According to the researchers, clearly communicating the health properties of olive oil can increase consumers’ willingness to pay a premium. The findings could help producers develop labeling and marketing strategies, particularly for premium extra virgin olive oil and product differentiation in the market.

Tags: olive oil, Italy