Survey: A quarter of Romanians associate May 1st with barbecues, socialising

 A quarter of Romanians consider May 1 primarily a day dedicated to barbecues and socialising (24%), especially young people aged 25-34 (29%), according to the findings of a survey released on Tuesday.According to Reveal Search Marketing, in the top of the meanings of the International Labour Day for Romanians there is both the day off for relaxation (35%) and the authentic Romanian tradition (26%).As for the meanings of barbecue for Romanians, it is mainly seen as an outdoor relaxation activity (34%), an opportunity to socialise with loved ones (26%) and a pleasant way to spend time on weekends or holidays (26%). Thus, a successful barbecue should include mici sausages (71%), beer (62%), relaxation in the open air (50%), laughter and jokes (48%) and music (43%).Also, barbecue music is much more important to Generation Z, aged between 18 and 24 years (51% as against 43% of the total sample). At the same time, Romanians prefer to heat the barbecue in their own backyard (50%) or in nature, on green grass, in the forest or in the mountains (37%), and most of them organise it with family (69%) or friends (37%).The survey also shows that the main foods consumed at barbecue are mici sausages (81%), pork neck (64%), chicken breast or thighs (55%), sausages (54%), skewers (42%) and vegetables (peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, etc.) - 39%.By gender, men prefer the mici sausages (86% versus 76% of women) and other sausages (58% versus 50% of women) to a significantly greater extent, while women opt more often for chicken breast or thighs (58% versus 50% of men) and grilled vegetables (43% versus 36% of men).At the same time, the main drinks to have at the barbecue are: beer (74%), flavoured beer or cider (24%), red wine (19%) and white wine (18%). By age and gender, beer is preferred to a significantly greater extent by men (82% versus 62% women) and by people over 55 years of age (89%).On the other hand, flavoured beer and cider are more appreciated by women (31% versus 16% of men) and by young people aged between 18 and 34 (37%).The Reveal Marketing Research survey was conducted online between April 16 and 23, 2025 on a sample of 1,015 respondents. It carries a maximum sampling error of +/-3.1%, and a 95% confidence level.