The report completely lacks perspective. The norm even in the U.S. is for a family to buy at least five pounds of matzah, even for one or two people, because that’s how most distributors send them to the supermarkets, with the cost per pound when buying the set of five one pound boxes far, far less than buying individual one pound boxes. Often the price of two one pound boxes bought separately could be as much as the cost of the set of five pounds. Lots of recipes can be made from them and they are tasty even when spread with just sweet butter. Yes, matzah stays fresh a long time in those individual one pound boxes and comes in handy the rest of the year for snacking.
Since these Jews likely have the opportunity to purchase matzah only once a year, they buy a large quantity, some or much of which will be on hand in their homes to snack on and use as bread substitute the rest of the year. The assumption that they are eating all the matzvah during Passover only has no basis. Are they thrilled to be able to do so, after Soviet prohibitions on matzvah? For sure.