Over 12 million Brits are more likely to buy organic than they were before the pandemic, a new survey for Organic September has revealed.
The demand for organic post lockdown has reached a three year high thanks to a growing interest in ethical food and animal welfare with sales over lockdown increasing 18.7% .
Over half (51%) of Brits said organic means ‘better for the environment’ to them with over two thirds (67%) of Brits would like to swap a regular grocery item in September for an organic alternative.
However, there are still many misconceptions surrounding organic products including 1 in 6 (16%) believing it is no different to non-organic and almost half (46%) of Brits think ‘natural’ or ‘free range’ is as good as organic. Less than 3 in 10 (28%) of Brits realise that eating organic food supports the planet.
“Our survey has uncovered some really interesting insights about consumer opinions. There are so many good things about choosing organic but plenty of misconceptions too, says Harriet O'Regan, Marketing Director of the Organic Trade Board.
“The organic movement helps protect our environment, our soils and our wildlife and has sustainability at its heart. Reconnecting with nature, sharing facts about organic farming, or making a small swap are all ways shoppers can get involved with this year’s Organic September campaign.”
The month-long UK-wide celebration of organic food, textiles and other products, capitalises on the desire for a green recovery from Covid-19 and calls for a sustainable, planet-centric approach to production.
Many Brits surveyed believe they get better quality when choosing organic with over a third (36%) choosing fruit and vegetables and almost 3 in 10 (28%) choosing eggs.
According to the survey the top five organic foods Brits would most like to swap in September are:
Fruit and vegetables (31%)
Meat and poultry (22%)
Eggs (20%)
Milk (17%)
Bread (12%)
To celebrate Organic September, the Organic Trade Board is creating the UK’s first pop-up shop in a tree near an urban london farm. Consumers will be able to browse the top ten swappable items in a fun and engaging event with “Treetailers” on hand to assist.
Cristina Dimetto, General Manager of the Organic Trade Board (OTB), said: “It’s our mission to help people understand the organic link to sustainability and offer new ways for everyone to get involved, choose organic and make a difference.”