Organic foods

Citation

Wells, D. (2002), "Organic foods", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 32 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/nfs.2002.01732cab.002

Organic foods

Organic foods

The Soil Association held a National Conference for Organic Food Processors in association with Tetra Pak at the end of 2001. Simon Skeldon of Taylor Nelson Sofres said that the market for organic foods continues to grow. Between 1999 and 2000 the market increased by 138 per cent and between 2000 and 2001 it increased a further 54 per cent. The average organic food buyer spends more on food than the average UK shopper; 7 per cent of organic shoppers spend £2 for every £1 spent by non-organic shoppers and are responsible for 60 per cent of organic food purchases.

Nick Ball, organic marketing manager at Tesco, said that his company had increased its range from 750 to 1,000 organic food items and can now offer organic alternatives to every mainline product.Tesco has also started organic mailings and aims to give customers information on labels. Gill Lowry, supply chain director of Enjoy! Organics, a subsidiary of RHM, said that consumers want brands and they want reassurance, RHM is taking big beacon brands into the main market. Heinz also launched 55 new organic products.

John Rose of Tetra Pak said that carton packaging can fulfil the vital role of protecting and preserving that packaging. It is also an ideal springboard for communicating information about the brands, the Soil Association's logo and consumer education. The Tetra Pak Organic Packaging Design Award was won by Eastbrook Farms Organic Meat.

More than 20 of Herefordshire's apple growers have all been accepted onto the DEFRA's Organic Farming Scheme which helps farmers and growers meet the increasing demand for organic products. Some of the Herefordshire apple growers will be producing apples for organic cider produced by Bulmers. Traditional standard orchards cover more than 200 hectares and they will receive payments over a five-year period of £100,000. These farmers have been accepted by the Soil Assocation after starting the conversion process. The DEFRA payments will assist farmers with the costs of the conversion process. The changeover is expected to benefit plant and bird life in the orchards and will help the department meet its aims on sustainability and biodiversity.

More than 450 acres of fruit on larger standard orchards is already grown without the use of pesticides. The Organic Farming Scheme pays farmers up to £450 per hectare over a five-year period to assist with the costs of conversion. The scheme is part of a seven year £1.6 billion England Rural Development Programme.