Denmark takes the lead with highest organic market share in the world
Organic farmland and retail sales continue to show strong growth worldwide. In Denmark, organic carrots, milk and eggs are once again taking up more space in the shopping baskets than any other place in the world. This is shown in the report “The World of Organic Agriculture” by FiBL and IFOAM – Organics International based on data from 190 countries.
The new report shows that the global market for organic food products had the highest growth ever in 2020, exceeding 120 billion euros. The European organic market also reached a record high in 2020 as it increased by 15%. The European consumers, in general, spend more on organic food, but especially the Swiss and Danish consumers are filling their baskets with organic as they spend € 418 and € 384 per capita, respectively on organic food.
Danes love organic
The report once again proves that Denmark is the country in which most people buy and eat organic foods. Measured by population, the Danes are the people in the world who buy the most organic. The market share for organic sales in the Danish retail trade was 13% in 2020, which is the largest share globally. Austria and Switzerland followed Denmark with a market share of respectively 11.3% and 10.8%.
Lise Walbom, CEO, Food Nation says: “Once again, organic food products in Denmark have a bigger share of the retail market than anywhere else in the world. Our strong and trusting collaboration across the public and private sector has provided a solid foundation for this growth adventure through many years and the Danish food sector is happy to continue the journey and deliver healthy, sustainable and organic products to our partners all around the world”.
Global organic record sales
The global sale of organic to retail and foodservice reached DKK 898 billion in 2020, which is an increase of DKK 108 billion, which is the largest global increase in history. The greater part of organic sales primarily took place in the US and Western Europe, and Asia and especially China is catching up. China is thus the fourth largest organic market with retail sales of DKK 76 billion.
The increase of organic sales creates possibilities on the export market, which is why Kirstin Lund Jensen, Head of Organic Unit at Danish Agriculture and Food Council, is expecting that Denmark will sell more organic products to our neighboring countries and outside Europe in the future: “It is very positive that sales of organic goods are increasing so markedly all over the world. It is good for our companies that there are many potential export markets – both close to us, but also outside the local markets. I hope that in future we can sell even more organic food to our neighboring countries but also to countries outside the EU”.
Source: Danish Agriculture & Food Council (in Danish) and FiBL