The French continue to reduce their purchases of organic products. After the sudden slowdown felt at the end of 2021 and the sharp slowdown recorded in 2022, the downward trend has continued since the start of 2023. Between January and July, sales of foodstuffs produced without chemical fertilizers or synthetic pesticides plunged by 13%. in volume in mass distribution, according to the Circana institute. A decline limited to 2% in value. Unsurprisingly, this market is suffering from the consumption decisions of the French, faced with unprecedented inflation.
Since the surge in food prices on supermarket shelves – an increase peaking at 20% over two years this summer – customers have been trying to limit the amount of their receipt. The downscaling is evident. While private label and low price products are eating up market share, those bearing the white sheet label on a green background are less popular. Result: in 2022, the share of organic food in the French diet fell from 6.4% to 6% and the decline continues.
However, the search for the lowest price is not the only reason. “ Inflation has a good back”, reacts Laure Verdeau, director of the Bio Agency, a public structure responsible for leading the organic ecosystem. Evoking “the wealthy classes who have the means and have turned away from organic”it highlights deeper reasons, namely that“ distrust and ignorance have taken hold in the minds of consumers”.
” It’s urgent “
“We are suffering cruelly from this lasting inflation. It has a strong psychological impact. People are turning away from organic products because of the ingrained reputation of high prices. Some producers no longer display the logo so as not to scare away customers”, underlines Philippe Camburet, president of the National Federation of Organic Agriculture. The reputation for high prices and competition from labels that are much less competitive from an ecological point of view such as the poorly named high environmental value or pesticide-free, without forgetting the promises of local or French origin, have blurred the benchmarks. of consumption.
All players in the sector agree on the need to communicate. “We need a citizen information campaign. We need to re-explain to him the benefits of eating organic, for his health, for the environment, for more biodiversity and less green algae”, says Mr. Camburet. In 2022, the State had allocated a budget of 500,000 euros for the Bioréflex advertising campaign, supported by Agence Bio.
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