Strong growth for the organic sector in 2024

Organic is gaining momentum. While food inflation barely moved, organic sales rose strongly. Most notable is the sharp increase among specialty stores. These shops are attracting more conscious consumers and have strengthened their online presence. The figures in the new trend report from Bionext speak volumes.

Organic retail sales rose by 9.6% in 2024, reaching €1.77 billion. Specialty stores – including organic grocers, butchers, and health food shops – saw the strongest growth at 14.6%. Adjusted for the 1.9% food inflation rate, this translates to a real increase of 12.7%. These outlets generated €458.6 million in revenue. While the total number of stores declined slightly, the number of locations with a weekly turnover exceeding €40,000 went up. According to Roosmarijn Saat of the Biowinkelvereniging, this is no coincidence: “The growth confirms what we’re seeing in stores – more and more consumers are finding their way to specialty shops. People are choosing places where transparency, (local) quality and personal service are a given.”

Supermarkets report increases in fish and meat

Mainstream supermarkets – excluding Aldi and Lidl – also saw growth, with sales up 7.9% to €1.31 billion. That puts them well above the inflation rate as well. The top performers in percentage growth were organic fish (+74%), canned meat (+38%), and bakery products (+25%). In absolute terms, shelf-stable products and meat saw the largest gains.

More organic farmland, but EU still ahead

The organic farming area in the Netherlands increased by 4.7%, reaching 91,527 hectares. That means 5.1% of the country’s agricultural land is now certified organic. North Holland led with a 12.9% increase, followed by South Holland and Overijssel. Still, the Netherlands lags behind the EU average, where 10.9% of farmland is organic.

Read the 2024 Trend Report: Developments in the Organic Sector.
Bionext.nl