What does a 5-litre container of extra virgin olive oil cost? It is a question many of us ask when doing the shopping, to get a sense of whether we are paying too much, or whether it is worth choosing this format over smaller containers. But let's take it step by step…
Olive oil is one of the most sought-after products in world cuisine for its culinary qualities and its many uses in the kitchen.
But it is not sold in a single format: you will find different sizes, containers and materials depending on the producer and how the oil is usually used.
When it comes to formats, the main factor that shapes them is, without doubt, the volume of oil they hold, so the same oil (whether olive oil, extra virgin or sunflower oil) comes in its most common sizes, such as 300ml, 500 ml, 1 litre or 5-litre containers.
The latter is undoubtedly one of the most popular, along with the 1-litre bottle, because of the savings it offers families when buying larger quantities of oil.
Right, with all that cleared up, let's get to the matter at hand…
What does a 5-litre container of extra virgin olive oil cost?
Here we need to look at three things to get a realistic picture. First, we need to know what extra virgin olive oil costs based on how it is produced, the price of a litre of AOVE, and then the difference between an ordinary extra virgin olive oil and a premium one or, why not, the best AOVE!
If you would rather skip the post and are looking for a large, economical format, our AOVE Arbequina in a 3-litre tin is the money-saving choice from La Matilla.
Otherwise, read on, but be warned: by the end you will be scrolling back up to try it!
How much does a litre of extra virgin olive oil cost?
As we have mentioned in previous posts, there are different types of oil depending on a number of variables, including how they are produced and preserved.
Producing a litre of extra virgin olive oil requires a far more complex and meticulous process than the one used for other types of oil.
This is why this type of oil is considered the best of its kind: it preserves all its nutritional and culinary properties.
But the production cost of a product, whether oil or any other good or service traded on the international market, is one thing, and the final price the consumer pays is quite another.
While the price must of course cover the production cost, there are other costs and factors that push the price up, slightly or significantly.
The retail margin obviously has to be there! But what about indirect costs? Staff, logistics, labour, packaging, or even what the customer is willing to pay all mean that a product carries one price or another depending on its brand or producer.
And of course, location! The price of AOVE in Spain is not the same as in the United States, for example.
Having taken these elements into account, we can conclude that there are differences in the average price of oil of up to 100% depending on where it is sold.
According to studies carried out by FACUA, prices for extra virgin olive oil in 1-litre bottles range from 2,99€ to 5,99€.
What does extra virgin olive oil cost?
And why bring this up now? Because we are not satisfied with what we have set out so far. Let us explain!
We know we keep coming back to the subject, but at Aceites La Matilla we always want you to have enough relevant, verified information to make your own decisions, rather than subjective claims from our point of view.
The price of olive oil, and of extra virgin olive oil, changes constantly because of the many factors involved.
The type of oil, the type of olive, where the land is, the type of farming… all these elements have a marked influence on how AOVE is produced.
We can see that the price of AOVE in Spain has fallen considerably in recent years for a variety of reasons. It would be very risky to point to a single factor to explain why this has happened.
What is clear is that factors such as exports, weather problems, the commercial strategies of large supermarkets and the like have contributed to its fall.
Which is the best extra virgin olive oil?
And the best extra virgin olive oil is…!… wait, according to whom? Based on what? Which type of olive? Which region of the world? For which institution, magazine or panel of experts?
In our opinion? We have no doubt: our La Matilla oil!. Joking aside, this brings us back to what we always tell you: the best extra virgin olive oil is the one you like most.
In our previous post we explained which is the best extra virgin olive oil according to various criteria, characteristics and opinions.
We don't want to go into too much depth on this again, as it was covered in detail in that post, but as a reminder, we looked at areas such as:
- How it is produced
- The purpose
- How it is used
So if you are curious, you know you can't miss it!
And finally, as far as price goes, it is obvious that quality, like everything in life, has to be paid for. So the price of a container, a litre, half a litre or any format of a gourmet or premium extra virgin olive oil may be a little higher (sometimes only a few cents) than that of one produced by conventional means.
How much does a container of extra virgin olive oil cost?
Now that we have covered all these aspects, we can look at the price of a 5-litre container of AOVE.
Obviously, the price is higher than for a litre because it holds more. Even so, it is one of the favourite formats in many homes and families because, by choosing it, we get a significant average discount per litre on the shopping bill.
According to the FACUA study, the average price of the 5-litre container is 2,40€/litre. That said, it does not specify whether the container is plastic or a tin (these being the two most common).
A more than reasonable price for including this superfood in our daily diet and enjoying its many benefits, don't you think?
Pop into our shop before you go and join the La Matilla family!
