Quote 238 of 495

Fifty years ago, in the aftermath of World War II, the average
European family spent about one-third of its income on food. Today it
spends about 15 percent. In the United States the figure is even
lower, about 10 percent. In Italy--the Slow Food nation par
excellence--food constitutes 18 percent of the family budget, and
according to a Slow Food survey, a large majority of Italians say they
would be willing to pay up to 20 percent more for food in order to
guarantee its quality. In a world where tens of billions are spent
each year on such nonessential items as gambling, cosmetic surgery and
pornography, there is clearly some wiggle room to spend a few dollars
more a week on food.
		-- Alexander Stille, "Slow Food"
		   http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20010820&c=2&s=stille

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