Shoppers opting for organic as sales increase €9m

Irish food tastes are going organic according to new figures which indicate a 9% increase in the sales of organic produce last year.

A seminar on organic produce, held by Bord Bia, heard yesterday the organic food sector has already grown by €9m this year to €110m, and that almost one-quarter of shoppers now seek out Fairtrade products.

The figures, from Cliona Lynch of retail and consumer group Kantar Food Panel, indicated that 91.5% of shoppers have bought an organic product at least once in the last year and that vegetables, fruit and yogurt make up more than 50% of the organic market.

The conference also heard shopper numbers are up, and they are making more trips and buying more items.

Those shoppers tend to be either younger or older, with families the least likely to shop for organic produce.

SuperValu is the top retailer of organic produce but the growth over the past year in organic sales is being driven by Dunnes Stores and Aldi.

As for what people are buying, the top five growth items are vegetables, fruit, cereals, cooking oils and bread.

Separate Bord Bia research into the consumer habits of organic customers elsewhere indicated that Irish organic growers could have sales potential in France, which is now the second largest organic food market in Europe after Germany, worth €4.5bn.

The conference heard that “traditional Ireland” has great appeal to French organic shoppers, meaning it could prove a fertile market for produce grown here.

Those attending the conference also heard a presentation from Bord Bia on the consumer lifestyle trends that are set to drive consumer habits in the coming years, dubbed ‘the new realism’.

Rory McDonnell from the Bord Bia Insight Team said there had been a backlash against the consumerism and “bling spending habits” of the Celtic Tiger era, and this had now been replaced with a considered optimism and a more price-focussed approach.

Despite the upturn in the economy, Irish consumers, like those in the UK, are still seen as being relatively unwilling to spend, although there does appear to be a higher level of confidence when it comes to personal finances and the broader economic situation.

Price is now a more important factor than brand name to consumers but Bord Bia said 68% of consumers agreed that to support the economy after the recession, it was important to buy Irish products even if they cost more.