The strong growth in the sale of organic products continued in Finland last year. The Finnish Organic Food Association Pro Luomu estimates that the value of the sale of organic in grocery stores reached 309 million euros in 2017, 13% more than the year before.

The sale of organic products rose clearly more than the retail sale of grocery products as a whole, which grew by 1.7% in value last year. The market share of organic is now 2.3%.

The figures on Finnish organic market are estimates based on sales information from grocery trade groups.

The sale of organic products has continued to increase throughout the decade: sales have risen by 50% in five years. Marja-Riitta Kottila, executive director of Pro Luomu, says that organic products have now become mainstream in grocery stores.

– The selection of organic products is growing, they are advertised and included in sales promotions. The growth in the organic sales is not due to rising prices but a rise in quantities sold, she explains.

Organic vegetable oils and eggs have the highest market share

The sale of organic products increased in almost all product categories. In relative terms, the biggest rise was seen in the sale of organic juices and dessert soups, hot drinks, particularly organic coffee, and organic yoghurts and other dairy desserts.

– The growth can be explained by both consumer trends and new products. At best, these concur and a new product increases sales in the whole product category, Kottila points out.

A high rise was also seen in the sale of fresh meat, which can be explained by the popularity of organic minced meat. The sale of organic fruit and vegetables as well as eggs also rose considerably.

The organic sales figures were gathered this time using more detailed product categories, which revealed that among different product categories, organic vegetable oils held the highest market share: 20% of vegetable oils sold (by value) in grocery stores are organic. The market share of organic eggs has risen to 17% within the product category.

The highest organic sellers are fruit and vegetables and milk

The biggest organic product groups remained the same as before: the biggest organic sellers are fruit, milk and other dairy beverages, and vegetables. These three product categories represent more than a third of all organic sales.

Hot drinks, that is, coffee and tea, are the fourth biggest sellers, followed by eggs at number five.