Organic market report 2010

The Soil Association predicts a modest market expansion of between 2% to 5% in the UK market for organic products in 2010. Despite the toughest economic climate for 20 years, our 2010 Organic Market report shows that the evidence from the early months of this year indicates clear signs of increasing confidence amongst consumers.

The 2010 Organic Market report also shows that sales of organic products in the UK fell by 12.9% in 2009 to £1.84 billion. In line with other retail sectors, shoppers spent less on organic food in the recession. In addition, leading retailers reduced organic ranges and shelf space.

The three biggest categories of organic food – dairy, fruit and vegetables, and fresh meat – saw supermarket sales fall by 6.5%, 14.8% and 22.7% respectively. In contrast, organic milk bucked the trend in dairy sales growing by 1%, with 2009 being the best year for organic milk sales on record, and organic baby food sales, resilient throughout 2009, grew by 20.8% passing the £100m mark.

Organically managed land area in the UK increased to 743,516 ha in January 2009 – up 9% on the previous year – and now represents 4.3% of UK farmland.

Further key findings in the report include:

• Over 60% of the UK’s biggest organic brands are planning for growth in the coming year
• Sales of organic food are still three times higher than in 1999 and over 50% higher then five years ago
• Tesco predict overall organic sales will increase by 1% in 2010 while Waitrose anticipates organic sales growth of 3-5%
• Organic box schemes fell by -9.8% while supermarket sales of organic fell by -12.2% and the independent sector by -17.7
• Sales of bread and other bakery items were one of the worst hit categories (-39.8%)
• The number of households buying some organic food fell only slightly in 2009 (from 88.9% to 88.3%)
• Organic products continue to attract shoppers from across the social spectrum, with groups that include manual and casual workers, pensioners, students and people on benefits accounting for 33% of the spend.

The full 2010 organic food report can be found on the soil associations web site. Even though there was a drop in sales of organic food in 2009, this decrease was fairly similar to many other areas and types of food production. With brighter prospects in 2010 and a potentially recovering economy we must stand up for our basic right to nutrient dense foods. Whilst organic food production is not the only way to ensure food is nutrient rich, the principles and ideals that form the aims of the organic movement are certainly desirable and are adding to a shift in food quality. It is hugely concerning that supermarkets have reduced their ranges and shelf space designated for the sale of organic food. This clearly shows that they have little interest in providing higher quality food, but in earning income. Whilst the organic market was buoyant over the last 10-15 years many supermarkets increased their organic offerings considerably. Then with only 1 year of mild down turn they have lost some enthusiasm because the profit margins were not sufficient. They are businesses after all.

This is why we at Natural Food Finder so strongly encourage the support of local, organic suppliers who are dedicated to supplying quality food stuffs, many of whom are determined and committed to producing nutrient dense, high quality food regardless of shifts in the economy. These smaller family farms can only be sustained whilst they have a market to sell to. We have now been running just over 1 year and have seen increasing interest in natural, quality food all across the UK. So stand up and make a difference this year. Even if you can only afford to change one food category to organic, such as fruit and veg, dairy or meat, it will help to support the growing organic market and show these powerful corporate supermarket giants that the UK population demand high quality food! There is simply too much low quality, devitalised, depleted, pesticide ridden, additive rich, health damaging foods available to eat in our food chain. The ever growing burden on the NHS through increasing chronic disease and obesity will only be managed when we change what is typically providing the bulk of our daily calories. How do we cause such a significant shift? Well with 80% of the food chain controlled by the supermarkets it will only be achieved when the supermarkets are driven by the demand of the consumer towards higher quality food. Either we must vote with our wallets and buy more organic foods when we shop at the supermarkets or more significantly take our custom away from these controlling corporates and invest our money in local farming, shops and business that can and will supply us with better food and as a result improve our health.

Good health is a basic human right! High quality nutrition is a basic human right! One cannot happen without the other. It should not be a matter of whether we can afford it or not, but with the business principles of supply and demand these foods will only become more affordable when one at a time more and more consumers refuse to buy the garbage foods that line the supermarkets and for their own good demand only high quality food!