Organic and Fairtrade Sales Continue to Soar in 2020

Sales of organic and Fairtrade certified products continued to shine in 2020 as concerns over the climate impact of food production and the COVID-19 crisis put ethical consumerism in the spotlight, FoodNavigator reported on February 11, citing Organic Market Report 2021 and Ethical Markets Report.  

Soil Association Certification’s Organic Market Report 2021 reveals the UK’s organic market is now worth £2.79 billion, after a 12.6% growth in sales in 2020.  This is the highest growth rate organic has seen in 15 years and the sector’s gains clearly outstripped the performance of the wider food industry.  A similar trajectory can be seen in Fairtrade sales.  Fairtrade purchases increased by 15% in the last year and almost 30% of consumers pledged to buy more fair-trade goods in the future, according to Ethical Consumer’s recent Ethical Markets Report, produced in collaboration with Co-operative Group.  

Data released by the Soil Association shows more than £50 million was spent each week on organic products throughout 2020.  Online and home delivery sales fueled much of the growth, with sales increasing by 36.2%.  This means online, including via supermarkets, now accounts for almost 25% of the total sales with nearly one-in-four organic purchases being made via e-commerce. Like organic, Fairtrade Foundation reported a boom in demand for certified products in 2020.  The Foundation said a mounting recognition of the ‘importance and necessity’ of  Fairtrade is reflected in its consumer survey, where the number of active choice, that is, shoppers choosing Fairtrade products over alternative, is higher than ever in its history.  Expansion of e-commerce has supported the shift.