Sales of organic products fell by 3.7 per cent in the UK last year, according to a report in the Guardian newspaper, as the economic crisis forces consumers to continue tightening their budgets.
According to the latest statistics, the decline was due principally to a 5 per cent drop in supermarket sales, which account for 71.4 per cent of organic food sales, following cutbacks on own-brand organic ranges.
The UK's Soil Association said in its annual report that committed organic consumers were increasingly visiting specialist retailers in response.
Overall, organic product sales declined from £1.73bn (€2.07bn) in 2010 to £1.67bn (€2bn) in 2011 – a smaller slump than the previous year's 5.9 per cent – with fresh fruit and vegetables accounting for 23 per cent of sales.
Chief executive Helen Browning expressed confidence that the organic market would rebound. 'Many consumers are clearly looking for a deeper connection to the production values behind their food,' she said, 'as support for farm shops, markets and independent retailers suggests.'
Internationally, organic sales have fared better, growing by 8 per cent in 2011 and global sales now stand at €44.5bn.
Fairtrade products have also grown, by 12 per cent in the last year, according to the Fairtrade Foundation, from £1.17bn (€1.4bn) in 2010 to £1.32bn (€1.58bn) in 2011.
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