MARKET REPORT
October 2012
Good vintage for the international organic sector
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Two-figure growth for organic sector in 2011
German organic market registers some 6.6 billion EUR sales
USA: good 10 % growth in the world's biggest organic market
If the result for the international market were a fine organic wine, the
upshot for 2011 could be: excellent climate and optimum terroir give
the vintage a powerful body and a multifaceted but harmonious taste.
After rather restrained growth in the years before, the markets in
Europe and the USA distinctly picked up speed again with sales up by
five to ten per cent. For example, France and Sweden enjoyed a rise of
11 % each, and the organic market in the Netherlands grew by as
much as 17 %. For 2012, experts currently expect growth in the singlefigure range. Sector representatives from all over the world gather
again at BioFach, their annual exhibition highlight, from
13–16 February 2013, when some 2,400 exhibitors are expected again
at the World Organic Trade Fair in Nürnberg, including 200 at
Vivaness, the Trade Fair for Natural Personal Care and Wellness.
According to the Bund Ökologischer Lebensmittelwirtschaft [BÖLW, Berlin
(D) – the Federation of the Organic Food Industry], organic sales in
Germany, the venue of the exhibition duo BioFach and Vivaness, rose by
9 % in 2011, from 6.02 to 6.6 billion EUR. The organic share of the food
market increased to 3.7 %. A total of 22,506 farms work their 1,015.626 ha
of land in accordance with the provisions of the EU Organic Regulation.
This is 7.5 % of the farms in Germany and 6.1 % of the total agricultural
area. 2012 started somewhat quieter: In the first half-year, for example,
organic sales in the organic food trade rose by only 3.3 %.
This figure does not include sales in the conventional retail food trade.
30,000 m² more space for organic supermarkets in Germany
In the first six months of 2012, 25 organic supermarkets in Germany have
opened as new stores or increased their space by moving to new premises
[Bio-Markt.Info, Lauterbach (D)]. Last year there were altogether 66 new
specialist stores with a sales area of 200 m² or more and organic
supermarkets of 400 m² or more. As many as 80 % of the new shops
belong to a single company. Some 30,000 m² of extra sales space was
created up to the end of December 2011. Dennree is clearly expanding its
market leadership all the time and meanwhile has almost 100 Denn’s
organic stores in Germany and five in Austria. Altogether 14 stores with a
total of 7,000 m² opened in the first half of 2012.
Austria and Switzerland: stabile Alpine organic republics
Austria registered sales of organic food worth 1.2 billion EUR in all sales
channels in 2011. This corresponds to 7.7 % growth. The classic food
trade, the main sales channel for organic products in Austria, recorded the
biggest rise with 9.2 %. The out-of-home catering segment also achieved
distinct growth and export business increased by 5 %. Although
Switzerland already has a two-figure share of organic farms, the readiness
to convert to organic continues at the same level. 220 farmers decided to
convert in 2012, 27 % more than the year before. 5,618 farms currently
work to the standards of the organic association Bio Suisse of Basel (CH).
Together with the 387 farms that produce to official organic standards, the
organic share of Swiss agriculture is around 11 %. Organic sales in the
retail trade grew by 4.2 % to 1.4 billion EUR in 2011.
Italy: growth in supermarkets and in the specialist trade
In Italy, sales in the organic sector including direct marketing were some
2 billion EUR in 2011 (2010: 1.8 billion EUR), plus 1.1 billion EUR for
exports. The organic market thus grew for the ninth year in succession,
according to a joint panel study by Ismea, Istituto di Servizi per il Mercato
Agricolo Alimentare, of Rome (I) and the international consumer
researcher, Gesellschaft für Konsumforschung, GfK of Nürnberg (D).
Organic sales in the conventional retail trade increased by 9 % to
545 million EUR, and in the specialist trade by as much as 12 % to
895 million EUR. Market expert Roberto Pinton reports that the growth
Good vintage for the international organic sector
MARKET REPORT – October 2012
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rates of Italian wholesalers in the last two years were between 10 and
20 %. This trade segment has now reported single-figure growth for the first
half of 2012, likewise the conventional food retail trade, where organic
sales were up 6 %.
France: 1 million ha of organic farming land
France can be pleased with its steady growth of organic agriculture for
many years and occupies 2nd place in the European rankings after
Germany. The French market for organic food increased by 11 % to some
4 billion EUR in 2011 [Agence Bio, Montreuil-Sous-Bois (F)]. The
organically farmed area rose by 15 % in 2011 to reach 975,141 ha, and
even topped the 1 million mark in the first half of 2012. The number of
organic farmers and firms grew by 14 % to 35,271.
The Netherlands: more organic products in the supermarkets
There was a large leap in growth of the organic market in the Netherlands
in 2011. Organic sales rose from 752 million EUR to 881 million EUR
[Bionext, Zeist, (NL)], which is up by as much as 17 % after several years
of single-figure growth. This raised the organic sector’s rather low share of
the whole food market from 1.7 to 2 %. The classic supermarkets are the
most important sales channel in the Netherlands and account for 48 % of
organic sales. Every third euro spent on organic food is spent in the
specialist trade, which has a total share of 32 %. Direct marketing, out-ofhome catering and other sales channels account for the remaining 20 %.
The conventional trade with 25 % more sales mainly contributed to the
large growth in 2011, whereas the specialist trade only managed to grow by
7 %. Experts attribute this to an appreciably larger range in supermarkets
and department stores.
Great Britain: highest organic sales level of 2008 unbeaten so far
The highest sales figure ever achieved for organic products in Great Britain
was some 2.6 billion EUR in 2008. Organic products worth 1.9 billion EUR
finished up in customers’ shopping baskets in 2011, which was another
drop of 3.7 % after minus 6 % in 2010. The organically farmed area
decreased by 9 % and is currently 656,000 ha [Department for
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, London (GB)].
Good vintage for the international organic sector
MARKET REPORT – October 2012
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Experts attribute the present market situation to the 5 % drop in organic
sales in the conventional retail trade, which sells 71 % of all organic
products.
In the course of the changed overall economic situation of the past years,
the large trading chains had drastically cut the share of organic food in their
ranges. In the meantime, sales channels with 100 % organic, such as box
schemes, raised their sales by 7 % in 2011.
Denmark and Sweden: conventional trade is driving growth
Sweden increased sales by 100 million EUR in 2011 to a total of 1 billion
EUR and registered 11 % growth. [Cecilia Ryegard, Ekoweb, Stockholm
(S)]. The organic share of the whole food market including out-of-home
catering is 3.5 %. Experts expect annual growth of just under
112 million EUR in the coming years.
At 7.8 %, Denmark’s market share for organic consumption in 2011 is
about twice as large as that of its Swedish neighbour. Organic products in
the retail trade grew by 7 % and according to Organic Denmark reached
some 0.7 billion EUR. The equivalent of another 100 million EUR was
achieved in out-of-home catering. The organic food trade in the country
between the North Sea and Baltic Sea, in which a large part of organic food
is sold by chains like Netto, Superbrugsen and Fakta, has a share of only
10 %. The trading chain with the largest organic share is called Irma, which
already achieves 23 % of its sales with organic products. Denmark
meanwhile achieves top figures for individual articles from organic
production. For example, 41 % of the oats, 29 % of the milk and 23 % of
the eggs sold in 2011.
Contact for press and media
Barbara Böck, Helen Kreisel-Gebhard, Ellen Damarowski
Tel +49 (0) 9 11. 86 06-83 28
Fax +49 (0) 9 11. 86 06-12 83 28
[email protected]
Good vintage for the international organic sector
MARKET REPORT – October 2012
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All press articles, more detailed information and photos are available at:
www.biofach.de/press and www.vivaness.de/press
The latest trends and news at:
www.oneco.biofach.de
All exhibitors and their current product information can be found at:
www.ask-BioFach.de and www.ask-Vivaness.de
Good vintage for the international organic sector
MARKET REPORT – October 2012
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