A recent report published by the organic industry association Pro Luomu ry together with international partners shows that it is possible to increase sales of organic products by pushing them around. For example, sales of organic carrots more than tripled during a two-week trial in a Finnish hypermarket by changing the location of the products.
Pushing was tested in grocery stores as part of an international EU promotion campaign, which was carried out in Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands and Flanders, Belgium. The aim of the experiments was to shape the decision-making situation, for example through product placement or guiding store materials, so that choosing organic products would be easy.
Impressive results in Finland
The organic carrot push experiment in Finland was timed to coincide with the 2023 Christmas season. Carrot sales traditionally increase towards Christmas, so sales were compared to the same week the previous year to ensure comparable results. The results were impressive, both through strategic product placement and increased communication materials:
- By switching the location of organic carrots, sales increased by 253% compared to the same week last year.
- By increasing targeted in-store communications, sales of organic carrots increased by approximately 190% compared to the same week last year.
“The situation in the organic market in Finland has been challenging for the past couple of years, so it is important to show that it is possible to increase organic sales. Cooperation with stores has been excellent, and the experiment received positive feedback from both stores and companies,” says Heidi Haavisto-Meier, an expert at Pro Luomu .
In Finland, organic milk was also introduced in three hypermarkets in autumn 2024. According to grocery store statistics, milk sales generally decreased in that quarter (PTY 2024). However, product placement and gamification of in-store communications resulted in an increase in organic milk sales of over 18% in some of the trial stores.
Good results in other countries too
The campaign’s experiments show that small changes can guide consumers towards more sustainable choices – even when price is a major purchasing factor. Significant results were achieved in all countries participating in the campaign:
- Sweden : Strategic product placement increased sales:
- Organic oat products: +65%
- Organic fruit drinks: +164%
- Netherlands : Shelf signs and posters directed attention to organic products:
- Organic meat: +27%.
- Flanders, Belgium : Highlighting the benefits increased interest in organic alternatives:
- Organic vegetarian food products: +33%.
“This project shows that small and considered changes can have a big impact on consumer choices,” says Anton Järild from Organic Sweden, a Swedish organic industry organization.
The Sustainable Nudging report provides information and practical experiences on how to promote more sustainable consumption habits. Check out the Pro Luomu reports autumn 2024 and autumn 2023 – spring 2024, as well as the joint report of the four countries of the Nudging Organic project .
For more information: Heidi Haavisto-Meier, expert, Pro Luomu ry, tel. 041 432 9690, [email protected]
What is a push?
Consumers make choices in the grocery store largely without active decision-making and even without conscious reflection. In nudge, the decision-making situation is shaped in such a way that the consumer is gently nudged and, for example, made making a more responsible or healthier choice easy.
- Pushing does not eliminate freedom of choice.
- Nudge focuses specifically on changing behavior, not attitudes.
- Price promotions or other price changes are not pushback.
The “On the way to a more sustainable Europe – Organic is part of the solution” campaign is an EU organic promotion project that communicates in a new way the benefits of organic for the environment and animal welfare. The project is implemented by Pro Luomu ry in Finland, Organic Sweden in Sweden, Bionext in the Netherlands and BioForum in Flanders in Belgium.
Funded by the European Union. The views and opinions expressed are those of the authors of this text and do not necessarily reflect the position of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency (REA). The European Union and the granting authority cannot be held responsible for them.
Photos: Pro Luomu ry and Organic Sweden
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