The development of organic in Austria can be described as an impressive success story. Both, organic shares in agricultural production and organic sales in food retail, amount to the highest values within the European Union. The organic share in agricultural production has been over 25 percent for decades, and organic sales in the food retail sector have risen continuously and now amount to 11 percent. The decisive success factor for this development was the harmonious growth of agricultural organic land with a simultaneous increase in organic purchases.
Today, Austria is one of the leading countries in terms of the proportion of organically farmed land, with almost 28 percent organic share. Over the past three decades, the organic sector has developed from a market niche to a central part of Austrian agriculture and the food market.
Consumers can expect a wide variety of organic food in every supermarket. Organic food continued to enjoy great popularity even in times of high inflation and price increases. In 2023, sales in the organic sector increased by 5.3 percent whereas in the long term, organic sales have grown by more than 50 percent since 2019. Despite the crisis, organic food was able to maintain the coverage among the consumers at a high level of 98.1 percent. Younger consumers under the age of 30 in particular and the 50+ generation are increasingly turning to organic. Organic sales increased by 1.8 percent in the first half of 2024. The highest organic shares in food retailing are the dairy sector with fresh milk at 28.3 percent in terms of value, followed by plain yoghurt at 25 percent. For consumers, the decision whether to buy organic or conventional food depends increasingly on the benefits and values attributed to organic.
AMA organic seal: 30th anniversary
To ensure that consumers are able to distinguish organic food when shopping, the AMA organic seal was developed 30 years ago as a state identification mark for organic food – long before the European Union made the green leaf mandatory as a common symbol for organic products.
Today, the AMA organic seal is the Austrian state seal of approval for organic food. It can be voluntarily added to the EU organic logo on product packaging and ensures 100 percent organic origins of the raw materials used and additionally indicates organic foods of a particularly high quality. This primarily refers to a number of consumer-related parameters in connection with food safety and quality.
AMA | www.amainfo.at
Published in the BIOFACH 2025 Bio Eco Actual Special Edition.
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