The UK organic market has defied economic pressures, growing by 7.3% in 2024 to reach £3.7 billion. The sector has now seen 13 consecutive years of growth, with organic sales significantly outpacing non-organic alternatives.
The news comes via Soil Association Certification’s 26th edition of its annual Organic Market Report 2025, released yesterday (26th February), which reveals that sales increased across every key channel, with the major multiples, independent retailers, non-food and hospitality enjoying a particularly strong year.
Sales through major retailers hit £2.43 billion, marking an 8% increase, while unit sales of organic food and drink grew at four times the rate of non-organic products at 4.7%. This strong performance signals continued consumer appetite for healthier and more sustainable choices, despite the lingering impact of the cost-of-living crisis.
“The organic market delivered abundant growth across the board last year out-performing non-organic in both volume and value growth – a key indicator of the health and potential of the market as we look to the future,” said Georgia Philips, Commercial and Marketing Director at Soil Association Certification. “And the signs are strong that this growth is here to stay with increasing consumer demand, particularly from Gen Z shoppers who are increasingly motivated by healthy and sustainable choices and seeking out organic products.”
New research highlights a shift in organic consumer demographics, with younger and lower to middle-income households emerging as the most engaged shoppers. The Organic Research Centre and UK Organic (with support from If You Care and Sustain) found that 67% of consumers now actively seek out organic products. Surprisingly, lower-income shoppers report purchasing organic across multiple categories, with veg box specialist Locavore revealing that 28% of its customers earn less than £30,000 annually.
Georgia said: “Cost of living pressures haven’t gone anywhere. But, now accustomed to higher prices, consumers are prioritising other areas, such as health and the environment. As these priorities become ever-more embedded in shoppers’ buying habits – the future looks bright for organic.”
Organic thriving
Research by Soil Association Certification in its Organic Market Survey found that over half (50%) of respondents reported a positive year for both volume and value sales, with a fifth (20%) enjoying a significant sales increase.
Organic dairy and produce categories continue to have the highest share of organic sales – accounting for almost half (49%) of all organic sales made through major retail. These fresh categories are key entry points for organic shoppers seeking natural, minimally processed and healthy options.
Independent retailers saw organic sales rise by 9% to £518 million, while online and home delivery remained strong, making up 15% of the market and growing by 3% in 2024. After a tough period, the foodservice sector rebounded with a 6.5% sales increase, thanks in part to easing inflation. Meanwhile, organic beauty and textiles recorded an 11% growth, demonstrating broader consumer interest in sustainable products beyond food and drink.
Fyffe’s CEO John Hopkins said: “We have seen strong growth in our sales of organic bananas in 2024, driven by a growing customer demand and supported by retailer availability and promotional activity. Approximately 11% of all of our banana sales are organic and Fairtrade – meeting a growing consumer need for assurances around health, sustainability and supply chain fairness.”
The organic farming challenge
Despite strong market growth, organic farming in the UK remains stagnant, with just 3% of farmland certified organic—a stark contrast to many European nations. The Soil Association and 12 leading NGOs are now calling for the government to set a target of 10% organic farmland to meet growing demand and reduce reliance on imports.
Georgia said: “We have already seen promising signs as the land in conversion with the Soil Association Certification has doubled since January 2024 as government and shoppers invest in organic. Welcome news and real signs of progress after government figures for 2023 showed that the percentage of organic land share had remained static at around 3% in England for the last decade.”
While government figures for 2024 are yet to be released, Soil Association Certification reports that land in transition to organic farming nearly doubled last year. Scotland, in particular, has made strides, with a 69% increase in organic farmland since 2021 under the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme.
Mairi Gougeon, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands said: “The significant increase in organic land managed under the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) is a testament to Scotland’s commitment to sustainable farming and environmental stewardship. As at the end of 2024, we’ve seen over 49,000 additional hectares of converted and maintained organic land under AECS management, representing a remarkable 69% increase since 2021.”
A bright future for organic?
Looking ahead, industry optimism remains high, with 70% of Organic Market Survey respondents predicting further sales growth in 2025.
Georgia said: “Almost 18 months ago we unveiled the Organic for All vision to make organic affordable, available and accessible, and to help identify and overcome the blockers to rapid growth by working collaboratively with the whole organic sector. We have made progress in bringing the industry together and engaging with retailers, supply chains and government to learn valuable lessons from Europe and to realise untapped opportunities. Now’s the time for government and retailers to unlock the true potential of organic and turn this vision into reality.”
The full Organic Market Report 2025 is available for download via The Soil Association’s website.
