Dutch consumers increase spending on sustainable food

In 2024, Dutch consumers once again spent more on sustainable food. Total spending increased by around 4% compared to the previous year. As a result, the share of sustainable food remained stable at 21% of all food purchases.

The increase is partly due to higher sales volumes of products with sustainability labels. Food prices also rose across all categories, with an average increase between 2 and 5%. In total, Dutch consumers spent nearly €14.3 billion on sustainable food, out of €68.1 billion in total food expenditures.

Growth driven by organic and Fairtrade

Products certified as organic or Fairtrade showed the strongest growth, each increasing by approximately 10%. Notably, the rise in organic product sales was not primarily driven by price increases for the first time.

The most significant revenue was linked to three labels: Beter Leven, Rainforest Alliance and Biologisch. In 2024, 14% of total food spending went to products carrying one of the 'Topkeurmerken' (top sustainability labels), as designated by Milieu Centraal.

Supermarkets played a key role. They reached their 2024 target of offering only poultry with at least one Beter Leven star. Currently, over 90% of poultry sold in supermarkets meets this criterion. Sustainable beverages saw a 14% increase in sales. Other categories such as meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, eggs and shelf-stable products also grew. Sustainable dairy, however, declined by 6%.

Strongest growth in specialty stores

The Monitor Duurzaam Voedsel identifies three sales channels: supermarkets, foodservice and specialty stores. Supermarkets remain the dominant channel, accounting for €12.1 billion in sustainable food sales (+4%). The foodservice sector saw a modest 1% increase, largely driven by price effects. The most notable growth occurred in specialty stores focused on sustainable products. Their turnover rose by 15%, reaching €459 million.

These findings are based on the annual Sustainable Food Monitor by Wageningen Economic Research. Full results are available at agrimatie.nl or via the report: edepot.wur.nl.