Sales of both organic and non-GMO products have accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Errol Schweizer, advisor to the natural food industry and board member of the Non-GMO Project
Speaking at the Organic & Non-GMO Forum, Schweizer quoted data from market research firm SPINS, showing that in October 2020, sales of organic products had increased by 13.1% and that sales of non-GMO products were up by 13% over the previous year. These numbers are significant because organic sales had grown by just 3.1% and non-GMO by 0.5% a year earlier.
“These are the highest numbers (for organic and non-GMO) that I’ve seen by SPINS in years,” said Schweizer, who was a global grocery manager for Whole Foods Market from 2009 to 2016.
Overall, organic food sales have doubled in the past decade to more than $50 billion, with nearly 6% of all food sold in the U.S. organic. These figures Schweizer called “astounding.”
Organic agriculture production also increased by 31% from 2016 to 2019, with more land and acres in organic production.
Schweizer said that organic produce sales increased 22% in March when the pandemic hit, which was double the sales of January and February. Double-digit sales of organic produce continued through September.
According to Schweizer, organic foods are more accessible and affordable for consumers than ever, as evidenced by Organic Trade Association data finding that 82% of households buy organic products.
Schweizer attributes great accessibility to organic food to large retail stores’ private label brands such as Whole Foods’ 365, Kroger’s Simple Truth, Safeway’s O Organics, and Target’s Good and Gather, among others. Also, retail warehouse chain Costco sells more organic products than any other retailer.
“35% of shoppers are buying more organic private label brand products than a year ago,” he said.
Similar strong sales are seen among products that are Non- GMO Project Verified. “Brands that promote Non-GMO Project Verified products have seen a 15%-20% sales lift,” Schweizer said.
More than 54% of North American consumers recognize the Non-GMO Project Verified butterfly logo. More than 50% say Non-GMO Project Verified is an important attribute they look for when buying foods.
Schweizer said the growth of the non-GMO market is an indicator of the overall growth of the natural food industry, which has nearly doubled from 11% of total food sales in 2010 to 20% in 2020.
Ken Roseboro is the editor of The Organic & Non-GMO Report and has been called “the nation’s reporter on all issues surrounding genetically modified foods” by Acres USA magazine. He has written extensively about GM foods and the non-GMO trend since 1999. Ken’s articles have appeared in leading food and agriculture publications and websites such as Civil Eats, Sustainable Food News, Prepared Foods, Natural Foods Merchandiser, Food Processing, and World Grain as well as Harvest Public Media, The Huffington Post, Yahoo News, Mother Earth News, and others.
