The Organic Market in the UK

An Organic Success Story

According to a recent report published by The Soil Association which is the UK’s leading advocate for organic agriculture, and the main Certifying Body for organic farming; the market within the UK for organic food and drink has now reached 2 billion pounds per year. This is great news for organic farmers and producers, and for consumers and the general public. Having risen steadily from small beginnings over the past 10 years, the organic marketplace is now a major player within the UK: organics are a major contributor to the agricultural and national economy, and are clearly here to stay and continue expanding, as consumers switch to an organic lifestyle, and demand organic food and other products.

Buying organic food and vegetables and a range of other products simply contributes to this success story, and helps to strengthen and expand the burgeoning organic marketplace. Consumers are buying more organic food because they believe organic food is healthy for them, and healthy for the environment.

What Kinds of Organic Products are Available? Almost any product that is available in non-organic form, is now available, or soon will be. The power of the consumer in any marketplace is that of supply and demand, and this is equally true of the organic market. What is also true is that with this growing market, it is easier for a consumer to meet a producer, and feedback to each other what products are good, and what may not be so good. Feedback can also go to the Soil Association (SA), which has the power to influence producers, as well as consumers. The SA also acts as a resource through which consumers can find the product they are looking for, and how to source it locally to them, or to purchase online through one of the reliable online organic shopping sites affiliated or linked to the SA.

From Farm to Consumer: An Organic Process Organic agriculture and production is strongly linked with the campaign to reduce food miles. The further food or products travel to the market, racks up food miles, which pushes up food and product production cost.

In transportation, whether by truck, train, boat or plane, and this in turn can cause more energy to be used, with its resulting negative effect upon the environment and atmosphere. Finding and buying food, which is grown locally to the consumer, is a big part of the organic market, which is decentralising shopping back to the consumer, where they are. This also provides the farmer/producer with cash and cuts out the supplier/middlemen. The organic market in the UK (and across the world) is attempting to empower both producer and consumer, with the beneficial three tier successes of good health (through healthful organic food); a strong economy (financed by consumers pleased to be eating good food that they can trust is free of chemicals, and is healthy and tasty to eat); and a healthy, clean environment, that is safe and pleasant to live in (and that is not polluted by intensive chemical-laden agriculture and industry).