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ISSUE 2180 Monday 14 May 2001

Food scares boost organic sales
By Nicole Martin

BRITISH consumers are likely to overtake the Germans as the biggest spenders on organic food in Europe, researchers believe.

Public concern over food quality, caused by a spate of food safety scares, will boost demand for organic products in the next five years. Sales of organic foods are expected to reach more than £2.9 billion - £50 per capita - by 2005, compared with £549 million - £9 per capita - last year.

In Germany, total spending will continue to exceed Britain. But, per capita, the population is expected to spend less - £48 a year. The study by Datamonitor, an independent research company, said that the fears surrounding BSE and genetically modified foods were largely responsible for the growing popularity of organic produce.

Sarah Nunny, the report's author, said: "Consumers in Britain have a strong general health awareness, but by far the most important market driver is the concern over food safety and scares such as BSE and genetically modified food."

But Miss Nunny warned that the popularity of organic food would diminish as manufacturers and retail outlets took greater steps to source their products and reassure customers about the quality of their produce. Patrick Holden, director of the Soil Association, the organic farming body, said the study showed that British consumers were using their purchasing power "to make British farming better".

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2001