The organic market is booming, with the Soil Association’s Organic Market Report finding the value of sales in the UK to be worth £2.2 billion in 2017, an all-time high. This was the sixth year of continuous growth, and we expect 2018 to show similar results. Organic fresh produce – which now represents 24 per cent of the wider organic food and drink market – was no different, with sales growth of 6.5 per cent year on year.
This trend has continued with Nielsen data to the end of June 2018 showing that organic fruit and vegetables are outperforming the market, with over five per cent growth in the last 52 weeks, and organic vegetables now significantly outperforming non-organic. Organic salad, while a much smaller market, is also showing substantial increases in sales thanks to the hot weather, significantly outperforming non-organic. Carrots, which have the highest penetration of all the fresh produce categories in organic at 15 per cent of sales, continue to grow and are a key entry point, while berries and apples are picking up pace.
These impressive figures show that increasing availability and visibility increases demand. Organic bananas and carrots are available on most supermarket shelves, with increased ranging in other products – especially berries – proving that availability can and will drive sales.
At a recent Fresh Produce Forum, Soil Association Certification brought together 40 figures from within the sector, including retailers, packers, growers and other industry experts, to discuss future opportunities for the organic fresh produce sector.
One of the outcomes, backed up by England Marketing research published in June, was that the move to meat-free and “flexitarianism” is helping fresh produce sales, as more than a third of UK consumers reduce the amount of meat, fish, eggs and dairy that they eat. The move towards more health-conscious shopping has also had a role, particularly in the fresh fruit market, as more people turn to smoothies in their quest for healthy options and organic is seen as a clear signpost to health.
The millennial market presents another a major opportunity. Under-35s spent £3.1 million on organic carrots last year, with high sales attributed to ethical consumption habits and an increasing interest in food provenance and transparency in how food has been grown.
We also know, however, that shoppers are still unsure what it means to call a product organic. This year we’re simplifying the organic message. We want people to know that organic is food as it should be. This means fewer pesticides, no artificial colours or preservatives, always free range, no routine use of antibiotics and no GM ingredients.
One major opportunity to make the most of the growing market and simplified message is Organic September, the Soil Association’s annual celebration of all things organic.
For many, fresh produce is their entry point into organic. As consumer focus turns more and more to ethical and sustainably produced food, this is a real opportunity for producers to use this simple message and the increased interest that Organic September brings to highlight the reasons to choose organic fresh produce, especially the number-one reason people do so: that organic uses dramatically fewer pesticides than non-organic.
We know that people are receptive to this message. The results speak for themselves – Organic September 2017 led to a sales growth of 11.7 per cent for organic fruit alone. Let’s build on this in 2018.
