Organic sales drop in France in 2021

Organic sales drop in France in 2021 by 1.3% according to the latest figures for L’Agence Bio who publish an annual report on the state of the organic market in France. 

This drop is the first decease in organic sales in France since the Agency has compiled the reports. Indeed organic sales in France have doubled between 2015 and 2020 to reach 13 billion euros in 2021, which represents 6.6% of the consumer market.

The COVID first 18 months of the COVID crisis boosted organic sales as those in work had more disposable income than pre COVID due to the lack of  opportunities to spend it in other areas, holidays, cinema, restos, and a general preoccupation on health issues in general.

Over half of the organic produce sold in France, 54%, is fresh food, fruit and veg, eggs, diary produce and meat. The remaining half is comprised of transformed food, drinks, wine, beer, cider and soft drinks like fruit juice.

The big supermarkets still dominate the organic sales sector making up around half of all organic sales. The drop in sales in 2021 primarily hit their sales.

The specialist organic chains have around quarter of the market have around a quarter of the market was also hit. But care must be taken here as the big supermarkets have a strong presence in the specialist organic chains, Naturalia is a part of the Casino group, Bio C’Bon was bought by  Carrefour in 2020,  Comptoirs de la Bio has a close partnership with Intermarche. Only the largest group, Biocoop, with 1.6 million euros of sales in 2021 remains independent.

Direct sales from organic producers to consumers continued to grow despite the overall drop. This sector which in 2021 reached to 1.4 billion euros is dominated by fresh produce, and wine. This is an encouraging development, buying direct is often the most affordable way to buy bio, it also ensures the maximum of the sales price actually ends up in producers hands. The rose in local producers markets following the Left Green alliances in the last municipal elections has been noticeable. But while it is a positive development is is worth noting that is still less than Biocoops annual sales in 2021, and far behind the large supermarket sales.

France agricultural sector is Europe’s largest, With just under 2.8 million hecaters of agricultural land now organic or in conversion just over 10% of France’s agricultural land is now organic.

France is almost completely self supplying in diary, beef, lamb, chicken and pork, cereals, and wine, no surprise there; It has a large vegetable sector but still imports around a third, fruit is only around a third Organic fish is mainly imported. Transformed produce make up a large section of 31% of the organic produce bought in from other EU countries and further afield.

Agence Bio figures in Organic sales in France

Agence Bio figures on the origins of organic produce sold in France,