Danes buy more organic food

After a breather in 2012, the Danish organic food market has grown again in 2013. Consumers spent 6% more than in the previous past year for organic products - especially meat from organic production.

graph: Turnover of organic foods in retail shops

Turnover of organic foods in retail shops. Source:/Copyright: Statistics Denmark

As reported in April by Statistics Denmark, the National Statistics Office, Danish consumers spent around EUR 776.8 million for organic food from organic production (only general retailers, excluding catering and other channels), which was 6% more than in 2012.

This means that the market resumed its long-term growth after the organic food sector stagnated the previous year. According to statistics Denmark, the increase was due to both price increases and rising sales volumes of organic food. Demand was high especially for milk, milk products and eggs. There has also been a substantial increase of sales of organic meat (+ 17 %, reaching a total turnover of EUR 56.4 million Euros). The share of organic food sales reached 8% of the total food market. The head of organic farming at the Danish Agriculture & Food Council (L&F), Kirsten Lund Jensen, sees the current sales trend as an important milestone in the Government's goal of doubling the share of organic farming in 2020. Especially the strong increase in organic meat makes it clear that organic food and farming is now slowly coming out of its niche, says Jensen.

More information

Statabank.dk: Retail sales with organic food