Indies at Forefront of Organic Growth

In 2015 the organic market grew 4.9 per cent, making it the third year of consecutive growth for the sector, compared to the non-organic grocery market which saw a 0.9 per cent decrease in the same period.

Consumers spend an extra £1.73 million on organic products per week in 2015, while sales of organic items at organic retailers rose by 7.5 per cent across the year and box schemes and online sales rose by 9.1 per cent.

Jams and spreads saw a rise in sales of 28.1 per cent, while oils and vinegars rose 17.5 per cent and tea 12.8 per cent.

Martin Sawyer, chief executive of Soil Association Certification said, “This is a hugely exciting time for the organic sector, with the market set to break through the £2 billion mark in 2016 and reach levels seen before the recession. Thanks to the growth of online, it is now possible for retailers to connect consumers with the broadest choice of organic products.”

Image courtesy of Soil Association and Shilingford Organics