Tumbling sales of organics have driven UK retailers Tesco and Asda to cut the number of organic lines by at least 30 per cent, according to The Grocer.
Data from intelligence provider Brand View show that Tesco, which recently pledged to back the organic sector's recovery, has cut its line by 30 per cent compared with this time last year, while Asda has slashed its range by 35 per cent.
A spokesperson from Asda told the Grocer: 'It's common sense that when shoppers buy less of a particular category, we will stock less. Our customers have said they wanted more local food in Asda, and we've recently increased our range by 100 items. This space has to come from somewhere.'
However, Soil Association policy director Peter Melchett said that actual sales were more important than range and that consumers were returning to higher value categories.
'The range might be slimmed down, but the fringe of consumers who turned away in the downturn are returning,' he told the Grocer.
