New Soil Association figures show organic food sales were up almost 9 per cent in September, with an increase of £7.9 million to the sector.
The organisation said the boost has been helped by its annual Organic September campaign and further confirms that the organic market is back into growth with positive figures since the start of 2013.
The ‘Small Changes, Big Difference’ campaign ran during September in partnership with independent, online and national retailers.
It centred on individuals being encouraged to make a personal 'small change', and highlighted the benefits or the 'big difference' to the environment or farming economy as a result.
Chief executive of Soil Association Certification Rob Sexton said this year’s campaign was a great success. 'The sales figures speak for themselves, but that is only part of the picture. The ‘Small Changes, Big Difference’ marketing theme has been adopted by some major brands this year, which is something we want to build on in the future.'
He added: “For me this year's campaign has shown how successful we can be when we start where people are at, with a small change and not perpetuate the myth that it is all or nothing.'
The Soil Association distributed more than 1,000 poster packs to independent retailers and organised themed events.
The focus was on the independent retailer sector, as it has remained strong throughout the last few years with close customer relations.
A recent survey found that 95 per cent of the independent organic retailers were aware of the Small Changes campaign. The majority of respondents said that September achieved a similar uplift to last year with many reporting increases between five and 15 per cent.
