Italians cut back on olive oil as prices surge, survey says. Producers are pushing back on that

One-third of Italians have reduced their consumption of extra virgin olive oil, a mainstay of the Mediterranean diet, due to skyrocketing prices, according to a survey released Friday. Consumers reported cutting back consumption of extra virgin olive oil by at least 30% to as much as half as average supermarket prices have risen from 4 euros to 9 euros a bottle, according to a survey by the Piepoli independent research institute. Nearly half of those questioned said they were substituting olive oil with cheaper seed oil.