Large-scale distribution confirms itself as the most prolific channel in organic sales, according to the Focus Bio Bank – Supermarkets & Specialty Stores, 2024. (1) Especially in supermarkets, sales of organic foods are growing, despite the long-lasting depressive impact of inflation.
An organic treasure
The contraction in consumption it’s a fact. It continues to strangle food consumption even in the ‘conventional’, i.e. non-organic, sector, as evidenced by the latest editions of the Imagine Observatory, marked by a minus sign in volumes sold and a plus sign in turnover. (2) Moreover, with an impact on family finances that is much worse than that of organic products, as noted in the ‘Organic in numbers 2024’ report. (2)
Net of the negative trend in general, organic – ‘better’ but more expensive – demonstrates an encouraging resilience for those who consume – but above all for those who produce – without resorting to the low-cost shortcuts of synthetic pesticides and the worst food additives, which threaten the environment and human health.
The numbers of resilience
The total turnover of the Italian organic sector- including retail, catering and exports – reached 9,1 billion euros in 2023. With a significant increase compared to 2022 (8,4 billion euros) and continuous growth, +8,7% compared to the previous year, over the last two years.
The turnover of retail alone increased by +6,7%, up to 4,2 billion euros (was 3,9 billion in 2022). Important performance differences between the two main sales channels were registered.
– large-scale distribution shows a marked increase in sales, +7,9%, reaching 2,4 billion euros
– specialized shops sales grew to a lesser extent, +4,5%, reaching 957 million euros.
The trend is clear: in 10 years the share of organic products in supermarkets has grown by almost half (from 40 to 58%), while that of specialized shops has reduced by over a third (from 36 to 23%). Despite the large organic and biodynamic assortment, the offer of fresh products (think of yoghurt and meat, as well as fruit and vegetables) decidedly superior to that of generic supermarkets, the shops continue to be overwhelmed by large-scale retail trade.
The driving force of the private label
The unbeatable tool of the major distribution brands is the Private Lable (PL), the distributor’s brand, which has had and still has a decisive role in the democratization of organic products, understood as economic accessibility for the consumer.
The 24 chains of the large-scale retail trade surveyed by Bio Bank in 2023 offer 21 thousand organic products, of which 6 thousand are private label. In practice, 27,2% of total organic sales are from MDD. First for private label organic products, Coop Italia confirms its position.
Source: Bio Bank 2024 Supermarkets and Specialities
The German way
The prevalence of large-scale retail trade in organic distribution it unites all the major markets. In 2022 (Fibl-Ifoam data), the share of organic sold in supermarkets was:
- France 53%
- Italy 58%
- Germany 67%
- Switzerland 83%
- Austrian 86%
- Denmark 96%.
In Germany the large supermarket and discount chains collaborate intensively with the historic organic associations. A path that can safeguard the further development of agriculture and nutrition that are increasingly necessary to slow down pollution and diseases, combining the commercial strength of large-scale retail trade and the original and innovative thinking of organic pioneers.
Marta Strinati
Footnotes
(1) Focus Bio Bank 2024 Supermarkets & Specialty Stores. Free consultation on https://issuu.com/biobank/docs/focus_bio_bank_supermercati_2024(2) Marta Strinati. Food consumption in Italy in the Observatory Immagino of XNUMXth edition. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade).
(3) Marta Strinati. Organic in numbers 2024, growth continues in Italy. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade).
Professional journalist since January 1995, he has worked for newspapers (Il Messaggero, Paese Sera, La Stampa) and periodicals (NumeroUno, Il Salvagente). She is the author of journalistic surveys on food, she has published the book "Reading labels to know what we eat".
