14% increase in sustain­able food sales in 2023

Consumers spent 14% more on food with sustainability labels in 2023 compared to the previous year. Total expenditures on sustainable food reached €12.6 billion, spread across supermarkets, foodservice, and specialty stores. This is according to the Monitor Duurzaam Voedsel, conducted by Wageningen Economic Research on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality. Despite inflation of 11%, sales of sustainable food saw a volume increase of 3%, compared to just 1% for food overall.

Supermarkets were the main drivers of growth in sustainable spending. Between 2022 and 2023, sales of sustainable food in supermarkets rose by 15%, while total food expenditures increased by 11%. The volume of sustainable food grew by 4%, whereas the volume of regular products only increased by 1%. Foodservice also saw growth in sustainable products, with spending up by 13% and volume rising by 4%.

Various labels remain popular

Sustainable food with labels such as Beter Leven, Rainforest Alliance, and Biologisch were the most popular among consumers in 2023. Beter Leven topped the list, generating €4.3 billion in sales. The Ministry emphasised that only food with independently certified labels was included in the research, highlighting the importance of leading sustainability labels. Despite overall growth, challenges remain in certain sectors, such as specialty stores, where the volume of sustainable products sold decreased due to high inflation.

Wur.nl