Sales of organic grocery products climbed by 4.9% last year to £1.95bn – outstripping the non-organic grocery market which decreased by 0.9% – according to the Soil Association’s 2016 Organic Market Report.
China’s £5bn organic export market has opened up to dairy producers after the Welsh organic dairy company Trioni achieved accreditation from the country.
A potential £5bn export market to China has been opened for UK organic food and drink manufacturers, following a Soil Association deal with China’s Organic Food Development Centre (OFDC).
Government support for the organic food market in Britain is vital, according to the Soil Association, after the latest figures showed that a slump in the UK market had bucked the trend of soaring sales across Europe.
The UK organic sector is ‘cautiously optimistic’ that the market is leveling off after a year of slowing decline in sales, but much depends on consumer confidence after the government spending cuts are implemented this month.
Shortages of natural ingredients are not the only problems inhibiting their more widespread use, there are cost and technical issues too, says Michelle Knott