Commerce, Coldiretti: ‘Average spending on Christmas trees is €42’

Rome, 4 December (LaPresse) – With the Feast of the Immaculate Conception approaching, the search for Christmas trees begins. According to a survey by Coldiretti and Ixè published today, Christmas trees will be present in “88% of Italian homes that do not want to give up the tradition”. ‘While plastic trees remain the most popular solution, we must not forget the high environmental costs associated with this choice. Fake fir trees,’ explains Coldiretti, “take over 200 years to degrade in the environment, and their production releases between 40 and 60 kg of CO2 into the atmosphere. On the contrary, growing a natural tree removes 47 grams of CO2 from the atmosphere.” Thirty per cent of those aged between 18 and 34 seem to be leaning towards choosing a real fir tree, a figure that drops to 15% when considering the total sample. The average expenditure for a Christmas tree this year will be £36 per family. For real trees, the cost ranges from £18 to £30 for smaller trees to £130 or even £140 for taller species. “The Italian natural tree combines respect for tradition with respect for the environment, as it is grown mainly in mountainous and hilly areas on marginal land that would otherwise be abandoned,” notes Coldiretti, ‘and helps to improve the hydrogeological structure of the hills and combat erosion and fires. When choosing a tree, it is advisable to check the certification on the label, giving preference to those of Italian origin, perhaps purchased directly from nurseries.”