Waitrose has announced the launch of a new-look organics range, enabling its customers to shop 100 per cent organically.
The range is available from September and includes 1,500 products ranging from ready meals to snacks.
The launch will coincide with Organic Fortnight, running from September 2-17.
Waitrose accounts for 16 per cent of organic grocery sales despite only holding four per cent of the grocery market. Its organic fruit and vegetable sales represent 12 per cent of total fruit and vegetable sales, and according to the retailer, this number continues to rise.
It also sources a large amount of its organic produce from the UK, with 60 per cent of its organic fruit and vegetables being home-grown.
Waitrose claims to be the first supermarket to offer consistently offer organic produce and introduced its first organic products over 20 years ago when its organic range represented just one per cent of its total fresh fruit and vegetable sales.
As well as ‘staple’ organic fruit and vegetables, it also stocks a range of organic fine foods, including Waitrose Organic Crimini Mushrooms, grown in limestone caves and caverns beneath Bradford on Avon
It is also the only supermarket to have its own range of organic herbs and spices.
Waitrose spokesperson Graham Cassie said: “Overall, a large proportion of our organic meat and vegetables are sourced in the UK, underlining our commitment to British farming, animal welfare and British wildlife. Our customers want the best produce available and, wherever possible, they want us to source from Britain.
“The fact that consumer demand for organic has risen considerably shows how important buying organic has become. From staple to unique, we are responding to this demand by offering our customers a whole host of organic foods,” he added.
