Rising natural market will get pandemic surge

Organic products are increasingly finding their way into important grocery stores and independent grocery stores. On site, it is said that consumers will grab more organic products while the corona virus is blocked.

The Australian organic market report 2019 rated the organic products market in Australia at $ 2.6 billion. This shows that domestic sales of certified organic products increased by 15% in 2018.

The report mentions growth for 18 out of 20 organic product categories this year, with the largest increase in skin care / cosmetics, soft drinks and packaged meals.

Of the organic consumers surveyed for the report, two-thirds started buying organic products in response to health problems when they were looking for alternative lifestyles.

According to Niki Ford, CEO of Australian Organic Ltd (AOL), increasing consumer awareness of the benefits of organic products is evident. 55% of organic buyers surveyed in this country say they look for certification logos to verify that a product's organic claims are authentic.

Ms. Ford predicts that the momentum shown in the report cannot be stopped, with continued growth in the organic category being a “certainty”.

"With consumers connected to information and influence every moment of the day, more and more people are looking for alternatives to what they have bought," she said.

"According to the report, the three most important considerations for the purchase are chemical-free, environmentally friendly and additive-free."

30 years of organic certification

AOL is the holder of the "most recognized certification logo in Australia", the "bud".

Ms. Ford says that Australia has no nationally enforced regulations for the use of the word "organic" and a product from an undefined "natural" source can be considered "organic", Ms. Ford says, but certification marks are enforced when products are made in Australia leave.

This means that a product in Australia can only be classified as authentically organic by a certification mark such as the bud. The lack of domestic regulation creates confusion among consumers and enables those who supply counterfeit organic products to benefit from premium prices despite an inferior product.

According to Ms. Ford, AOL has been working on this issue at both the federal and state government levels for a year and is increasingly supported by the office of the Federal Minister of Agriculture.

"Consumers are smart, and more and more are choosing certified organic products because they know they can be trusted," said Ms. Ford, adding that organic companies are advised to pay attention to what consumers want.

"Ask your consumer what he wants," she said. "Don't produce what you think they want. Research, offer a diverse range, and periodically review your range to understand performance. Most companies have a long list of products that are not sold."

In the June edition of Retail World we will inform you about the latest news and trends on the organic market.

Leave a comment