So the UK is going to be hammered by the downturn more than any other developed nation? I can't be the only shopper who's reading news like that and questioning whether I can justify paying 50% more for an organic red pepper than a pesticide-sprayed one. It transpires I'm not alone, according to research by Jonathan Banks for Nielsen Europe.
After reporting that growth of organic food sales in November 2008 had dropped 14% in just one year, he's now predicting a decline of around 5% for 2009. His figures don't include small box schemes and farm-gate sales of organic grub, but however much I love the likes of Riverford and Able & Cole, there's no avoiding the fact it's the supermarkets (which Nielsen measures) that shift most organic food. Elsewhere, research commissioned for The Guardian last year showed organic egg sales were down 18% over a period of four weeks (compared to 2007). The latest figures for 2008 from the organic movement's champion, the Soil Association, aren't due until March.
Banks, however, says there is some hope for organic nosh this year. "I wouldn't say organic food is exactly recession-proof, but it is recession-resistant," he predicts. "We'll be eating out less and eating in more, and although we're cutting back on big purchases such as cars, spending £4 on organic food versus £3 for the non-organic version will be seen by many as an inexpensive treat."
And there are, of course, ways to eke out the most from your budget for organics. One is to priortise which fruit and veg you buy organic — the Environmental Working Group publishes a good list for US produce — while the Soil Association has useful tips including growing your own and even foraging for wild food like Fergus Drennan.
What about you? Are you cutting back on the amount you spend on organic food, or just being more canny about the way you buy organics?
