Supermarkets eat away at specialist store organic food sales

Organic supermarkets and specialist stores are coming under pressure from supermarkets which are expanding their ranges of organic products, according to sector association Bionext.

Supermarkets booked organic product sales of €424m in the first six months of this year, a rise of 10% on the same period in 2014.

However, specialist shop turnover fell 2% to €169m. It is the first time since 2002 that organic shops have had to deal with falling sales, Bionext said.

Market leaders Albert Heijn and Jumbo in particular have expanded their own organic product ranges. Bread, cakes and dry goods such as cereals booked the strongest growth.