Organic Market Smashes Growth Predictions in 2020

2021 will see the UK Organic food and beverage Market reach its highest year-on-year growth in 15 years, with the market now worth £2.79 billion, a new report by the Soil Association reveals. This incredible achievement for the UK Organic Movement reflects the growing need for consumers to invest in local and sustainable options which benefit not only the health of individuals but also the health of the planet.

Finn Cottle, trade consultant at Soil Association Certification, said:  “it’s significant that in times of crisis, people are turning to organic products for the assurance of transparency, integrity and quality they provide. Organic is now rightfully recognised as the cornerstone of a resilient food and farming system and a vital part of the solution to the climate, nature and health crises. With people spending more time at home preparing and planning meals, many shoppers are also appreciating the incredible range of organic options that are available online, with stand-out growth of 36.2% in this channel.”

The recently published report included these highlights:

• Organic market year on year sales growth has reached 12.6% in 2020, outperforming growth in the non-organic sector
• This is the highest year on year growth rate in the organic market since 2006, with a 10th consecutive year of growth
• Total sales of organic hit £2.79 billion, meaning more than £50m per week was spent on organic in 2020, as shopping needs and habits changed dramatically due to the pandemic
• Online and home delivery sales fuelled much of the growth in the organic market in 2020, with sales increasing by 36.2%, meaning this channel to market accounts for almost 25% of the total
• Sales of organic items in supermarkets increased by 12.5%* with many categories showing growth over 20%
• The market is on target to reach £2.9B by end of 2021

“The unprecedented crisis of 2020 has brought immense challenges across the entire food supply chain – not least for organic farmers. So, it’s significant that, in times of crisis, people are turning to organic products for the quality, transparency and integrity they provide. Many home-produced organic products, such as eggs, cheese, carrots, beef and lamb, have benefited from strong sales growth through supermarkets, whereas online organic sales through box schemes and home delivery services have seen stand out growth of 36.2%. Many organic producers are selling direct to the public, playing to their key strengths of promoting British sourcing and sustainability.”

– Sophie Kirk, Senior Business Development Manager for Farming & Agri-Food

Source: Soil Association