Organics in France command high prices and are poised for growth

(thieury)

In France, organic food is making steady inroads -- but for a price, reveals a recent study by the food retail magazine Linéaires.

In France, organic food is making steady inroads - but for a price, reveals a recent study by the food retail magazine Linéaires.

In an October survey that drew from price comparisons of over 600 products in four of the country's largest retailers (Carrefour, Intermarché, Leclerc and Géant Casino), organic products were found to be on average 72 percent more expensive than their conventional equivalents.

At least one product out of three revealed a price differential upwards of 90 percent, the survey found. Topping the list of costly organic products were deli and "traiteur" or self-catering goods with up to a 95 percent price gap, followed by fresh fruits and vegetables (90 percent), confectionary (73 percent), snacks, (73 percent) and dairy products (57 percent).

According to Yves Marin of the retail consulting company Dashkoma, organic labels appeal to an urban, mature and affluent consumer base who is able pay more for them and who doesn't look too closely at the labels.

While Germany leads the way in the turnover of organic goods (2.8 billion euros in 2008, according to the trade association for the organic market BioFach), followed by the UK (2.6 billion), the French market is also taking root, with sales also reaching 2.6 billion - and it's expected to increase. French market forecaster Institut Precepta projects that it will grow up to 10 percent by 2012.

The largest share of consumers of organics, however, remains in Switzerland, Austria, Denmark and Luxemburg, according to data from organic-world.net.

http://www.lineaires.com

http://www.http://www.organic-world.net/