According to the results of a recent study conducted by the UFC (the Federal Union of Consumers) and published in Que Choisir magazine, organic products are still beyond the means of the majority of French consumers.
The study, which looked at 1,624 shops in France, found that a basket of own-brand organic products was 22 per cent dearer than a basket of conventional national brands. In addition, it was 57 per cent more expensive than a basket of own-brand non-organics.
Although the UFC accepted that organic products would be more expensive due to their lower yield, it suggested that retailers' margins were equally at fault.
'The margin for a standard apple is €0.50,' the UFC stated. 'For an organic apple, the margin rises to €1.09. As for carrots, the margin goes from €0.80 for conventional to €1.33 for organic.'
In order to 'democratise' the sector, the UFC recommended that CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) funds be more equitably distributed, and that retailers increase the availability of a wider range of organic products and apply the same margins as they would for conventional products.
