The Soil Association has said that organic food has “a huge part to play” in the future of grocery retail, as it revealed growth in the organic sector of 5.6% in the year to August. More than 80% of British households have bought organic products in the last year and the category is set to break the £2 billion mark this year, continuing to outperform non-organic sales.
Armed with more detail about organic consumers’ shopping habits, the Soil Association’s certification scheme has announced that it will streamline its organic message to make organic “the everyday choice for everybody”.
Clare McDermott, business development director for Soil Association Certification, said: “The organic market is in the fourth consecutive year of growth against continuing decline in non-organic food sales. There are clear opportunities across a variety of sectors, with growth driven by fresh produce and grocery, but also home baking and store cupboard essentials. Shoppers are increasingly buying organic as it answers their need for a healthy, sustainable and ethical choice.
“With this new research at our fingertips, Soil Association Certification is now working to communicate a focused and clear message about what organic is. This will help drive demand and further improve sales, allowing us to support more organic businesses and grow the organic market.”
The findings were announced at an event to mark Organic September.
Source: foodbev.com