Annual sales of organic products in the UK rose for the first time since 2008, according to data issued by certification body The Soil Association today (13 March).
UK organic sales were up 2.8% to GBP1.79bn in the year to 4 January, The Soil Association said.
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Meat, fish and poultry sales were up 2.2%, sales of organic veg grew 3.4% and dairy sales increased 4.4%.
Sales through supermarkets increased 1.2%. Sainsbury’s – the country’s biggest organic retailer with 29% market share – generated a 7% increase in sales of its own-label organic products. Sales at Waitrose rose 6.5%.
The Soil Association said the figures indicated “other supermarkets are yet to capitalise on increasing consumer demand for organic”.
However, Robert Sexton, the association’s CEO, added: “To see the organic market showing such strong signs of growth, particularly when grocery sales as a whole are slowing, shows just how much potential there is in the organic sector.”
The certifier said the early part of 2014 had suggested the “trend is set to continue”. Organic sales in the first weeks of the year were up 2.5%.
