There has recently been a surge in demand for bio and organic food products, which are produced without the use of synthetic chemicals, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), or artificial additives.
This trend has prompted extensive innovation within the food industry, leading to the development of a diverse range of organic and bio-certified products, including fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy products, meat, and packaged foods.
Over the years, agriculture and food industries have been using industrial techniques and phytosanitary products. However, the trend is changing, and they are slowly but surely turning towards organic food production. Although most of the cultivated land is not yet organically certified, the organic market is growing at a fast pace, according to SIAL.
In 2022, only 2% of the worldwide agricultural area, equivalent to 76 million hectares, was certified organic or in the process of converting to organic. Consumers worldwide are increasingly adopting organic products due to their health and environmental benefits. The global organic market grew by 10% in value between 2021 and 2022, and forecasts suggest a 75% rise by 2026.
The organic market is relatively new and growing rapidly, with many innovations in new products and manufacturing processes. In France, one in five new food products was organic in 2022, making it the country with the largest quantity of new organic products in the world. Germany and Spain were second and third in the ranking, respectively, with 20% and 19% of new food products being organic.
These innovations often led to new trends in the food market, such as gluten-free, pesticide-free, vegan, locally sourced, non-meat proteins and “blend it yourself” products like healthy smoothies and detox juices. North America and Europe accounted for 90% of organic consumption, with the US topping the list of the biggest organic consumers. Germany, France, China, Canada, Italy, and Switzerland were also significant markets. Switzerland, Denmark, and Luxembourg were the top three countries in per capita consumption of organic products.
The Asian market, mainly China, is growing at a fair pace, with 15% growth in 2022. In Latin America, organic remains marginal, but it is growing in Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, and Uruguay. Most organic products in Africa are earmarked for export, but the number of organic food producers has increased significantly. Alongside organic products, well-being focused products are also developing strongly, such as health food, dietary supplements, superfoods, gluten-free, and lactose-free products.
According to SIAL, France is one of the world’s leading consumers of organic products, with an organic market worth EUR13bn in 2022 and 11% of agricultural land dedicated to organic farming. Although France remains Europe’s second-biggest consumer, the organic market has been declining since the pandemic. In 2022, there was a 5.1% decline in French household consumption of organic products, excluding inflation. This downward trend is specific to France and can be explained by a general decline in home-based household food consumption.
Inflation on food products, which stood at 6.8% in 2022, is putting a strain on French people’s purchasing power, forcing them to spend more and consume less. However, it is worth noting that organic products are less affected by inflation, with only a 4% increase in 2022. In terms of the breakdown of organic product purchases in France in 2021, sweet grocery products accounted for 16.5% of purchases, followed by fruit and vegetables at 15.9%, and dairy products and eggs/savory grocery products at 14.8%.
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