I don't know what people you are referring to, but of course people owning Olive oil plantations consume lots of it if they like it.And workers in those plantations.
I have lots of experience in Spain, Italy and Greece and on those countries you have a lot of olive oil, and near plantations(like in Jaen or Sevilla) EVERYBODY consumes it.
It is common there to take raw oil with bread for breakfast. Some people just don't like it in raw form, but most people like the food cooked with it, that is typical in Spain or Italy.
They can afford it because olive oil is expensive, but not that expensive there, and friends and family give each other oil gifts in bulk.
Those prices are not what you find in a shop in California for a small bottle. They give each other 10, 20 Litters containers.
Sunflower seed oil is used for frying things in big quantities,not just because price but because it has neutral flavor,but olive oil is used a lot for cooking in general.
You make fish in the oven, you add olive oil. You make meat, you use olive oil.
I live in central Europe most of the year and of course I cook with lots of olive oil(and sunflower oil too).