The organic food market in Finland grew by almost a quarter last year.

The Finnish Organic Food Association Pro Luomu estimates that the sale of organic products amounted to 202 million euros in 2012, up 24% from the 163 million euros last year. The estimate is based on last year’s sales figures from the retailers.

As the average annual growth for grocery sales was 5.3% last year, the sale of organic food rose clearly quicker than the overall food sales. The market share of organic food rose to 1.6% compared to that of 1.3% in 2011. The demand for organic food concentrates heavily in the Helsinki metropolitan area where its market share is about 2.5%.

The Executive Director of Pro Luomu Marja-Riitta Kottila is very happy with the figures. She says that at this pace the goal to raise the sale of organic food to 330 million euros by 2015 will be achieved.

— Consumers choose organic because of its purity, welfare of animals and the environment and the transparency of production chains. I trust that people will continue to regard these issues at least as important this year as they did last year. Kottila thinks that the growth is also influenced by the supply and its development.

Organic milk is the biggest seller

The single best selling organic product in Finland is milk. Retailers say that almost 20% of the total sales of organic products is from liquid dairy products. The sale of fruit and vegetables amounts to almost the same, about 19%. Fresh bakery products account for almost 10% of organic products.

According to information gathered by a Nielsen consumer panel, in some product groups the market share of organic food is clearly bigger than its overall market share of 1.6%. The market share of organic cereal flakes, for example, is over 10% within its product group that of organic edible oils is almost 10% and that of organic eggs just over 8%. About 5% of rye bread is organic.

Kottila says that the market share of organic products in the food market is curtailed by the lack of choice available.

— She points out that there is little or no organic products available in some big product groups, such as meat and meat products, sweets and frozen foods.

Further information: Marja-Riitta Kottila, Executive Director of Pro Luomu, tel. + 358 40 581 9252