The UK organic market has emerged strongly from the cost-of-living crisis, with a shared determination to meet the challenges and opportunities ahead. That delivers an upbeat message for the sector, revealing how its recovery from the impacts of the cost-of-living crisis has led it to outperform non-organic in 2024. Organic food and drink sales now show strong growth both in value and unit sales, with sales value increasing 6.4% in the year up to August, compared to 5.4% growth for non-organic.
Market analyst NielsenIQ’s latest key data insights highlight the key trends and motivations of shoppers looking for more healthy and sustainable choices. Today consumers are becoming accustomed to the higher cost of living, with 29% saying that it is their biggest concern compared with 57% two years ago. Health and wellness is also a growing concern, with 28% of consumers now saying it’s important compared with just 11% in November 2022. 69% of shoppers now say they actively look for sustainable/eco certifications or logos when buying food and drink.
Mike Watkins from NielsenIQ said: “There is also an opportunity to inform and educate about the need for changes in how we produce food and in supporting the supply chain as part of helping UK food security. Organic is part of this journey.”
Just last month the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, was advised in a key report that informs Europe’s future vision for agriculture that organic farming is the only regulated sustainable system that already delivers environmental and climate protection whilst reconciling nature protection and farmers’ income.
The most recent supermarket data available delivers an upbeat message for the sector, revealing how its recovery from the impacts of the cost-of-living crisis has led it to outperform non-organic in 2024
Soil Association Certification Commercial Director Alex Cullen said: “With a newly elected government, there’s cause for optimism around support for organic and how we get more of it into the hands and mouths of people across the country. But it is critical that we learn the clear lessons from Europe.”
With increasing pressure on businesses to look beyond a reduction in GHGs and meet consumers and regulatory asks to decrease their wider impact on the ecosystems, with its whole-system approach, organic remains well-placed to deliver. Meanwhile growth in organic in the UK can deliver further confidence in the market. Delivery of increasingly robust evidence of public good delivery, consumer understanding, and easing of cross-border obstacles will continue to be key to unlocking further growth.
- This data was revealed at Soil Association’s Trade Conference in September, and full data for 2024 is set to be released in a few weeks.
Author: Lee Holdstock, Soil Association Head of Regulatory & Trade Affairs
Published in the BIOFACH 2025 Bio Eco Actual Special Edition.
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