The Soil Association Certification’s Organic Market Report 2021 reveals the organic market in the UK is now worth £2.79 billion, after a 12.6% growth in sales in 2020.
The market has now reached its highest growth rate in 15 years, outperforming growth in the non-organic sector.
During 2020 more than £50 million/week was spent on organic food and drink.
The Soil Association Certification’s annual UK Organic Market Report 2021 reveals:
- 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 2005, with a 10th consecutive year of growth. The market is on target to reach £2.9 billion by end of 2021;
- Total sales of organic hit £2.79 billion, meaning more than £50 million 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 (supermarket online sales are included);
- Sales of organic items in supermarkets increased by 12.5% with many categories showing growth over 20%.
Sophie Kirk, senior business development manager, Soil Association Certification, said:
“The unprecedented crisis of 2020 has brought immense challenges for organic farmers and the entire food supply chain.
So it’s heartening that in times of crisis, more people are supporting home-grown organic produce, with many British organic products such as eggs, cheese, carrots, beef and lamb benefitting from strong sales growth through supermarkets this year.
“Online organic sales through box schemes and home delivery services have seen stand out growth of 36.2%, with many organic businesses expanding their online and direct to consumer sales,” she concluded.
