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Organic Food Market Assessment 2002
Key Note Publications Ltd, Jan 2002
In the year ending April 2002, the retail market for organic foods grew by an estimated 19.7% in value terms. This is a substantial increase, but represents, nevertheless, a slowing growth rate from previous years. In particular, in 1999/2000, the market rose by 55.1% as a number of important launches and relaunches took place. However, according to various organisations, such as Organic Monitor and the Soil Association, organic foods sales still only account for between 1.5% and 2% of total foods sales overall. This is a much lower penetration level than in some other European countries, such as Austria, Denmark and Switzerland.
The growth is attributed to the probable increasing maturity of organic foods, and their acceptance by consumers as more mainstream offerings, rather than as niche, trendy or upmarket products. Initially-perceived health and environmental benefits are being outweighed by higher purchasing-price considerations. Organic variants are now very visible in staple foodstuffs - such as fruit and vegetables, milk, bread, meat, tea, coffee, fruit juice and eggs - as well as in an ever-widening range of everyday processed foods, such as yoghurts, cheese, ice cream, breakfast cereals, biscuits, cakes, ready meals, soups, sauces, preserves, pasta, chocolate, meat pies and baby foods.
Fruit and vegetables still represent the major organic market sector (at 29% for 2001/2002), although have been losing percentage share for several years to faster growing sectors, such as dairy and bakery products, breakfast cereals and baby foods. Additionally, the organic meat and meat products sector is forecast to increase, owing to the end of the foot-and-mouth crisis and the conversion of significantly more land as registered organic for livestock rearing.
According to the Soil Association, 70% of the organic-foods market is represented by imports, with fruit and vegetables, cereals and bakery items, multi-ingredient foods, and hot and cold beverages topping the list. The lowest import levels are in eggs and dairy products, and some sectors (such as meat and meat products) are expected to increase their UK production element as the grocery multiples have claimed that they will reduce their import activities.
A dominant and increasing share of organic foods sales are accounted for by the major grocery multiples - principally Tesco and the original champions of organics, Sainsbury's and Waitrose - now stocking between 1,000 and 1,200 organic lines. Growth is at the expense of small grocery multiples, independents, health food shops and direct sales outlets, such as box schemes, farm shops, farmers markets and the Internet.
The organic-foods market has always been characterised by a large number of small but now well-known producers. However, strong market growth has now attracted some major international food companies, such as Heinz, Masterfoods, Müller, Gerber, RHM, Arla and Unilever Bestfoods. These have often entered the market through acquiring and autonomously running small manufacturers, although some have simply produced organic variants of their brands. Between 2002/2003 and 2005/2006, market growth for organic foods is forecast at between 13.9% and 17.7% per year.
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Organic Food Market Assessment 2001
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