Organic shops and organic supermarkets sold significantly fewer goods in the first three months of this year than in the same period last year, as the Federal Association of Natural Food and Natural Goods reported to the German Press Agency.

On average, daily sales were almost ten percent lower in January and more than 18 percent in March.

The trend in organic wholesale is similar.

Figures for the quantity sold were not available.

According to Association Managing Director Kathrin Jäckel, consumers are currently paying more attention to price under the impression of inflation and the Ukraine war as well as rising costs for energy, mobility and everyday necessities.

The years of growth in the mostly more expensive organic goods had accelerated during the Corona crisis because people ate more at home and less in canteens and restaurants.

Now inflation has reversed the trend.

Jäckel warned that if less and less organic was bought, the government's goal of increasing the organic share to 30 percent by 2030 would be in jeopardy.

Organic currently makes up about ten percent of the cultivated area.

"But the climate crisis is not taking a break," said Jäckel.

She called for VAT to be abolished for organic food and natural products, especially fruit and vegetables.

The tax on dairy and meat products should be lower than on conventionally produced products.

General thrift

However, in a recent study, the market research company GfK put the sales losses in the organic sector into perspective.

Although business with organic products declined in the first quarter, the decline in sales in the organic sector was lower than in consumer goods overall.

"Therefore, it can definitely be said that organic is still relatively trendy," emphasized the market researchers.

In view of the current price increase, customers are increasingly turning to the retail chains' own brands when buying organic products and are ignoring the more expensive products from brand manufacturers.

According to Gfk, the retailers' own organic brands achieved a sales increase of a good nine percent in the first three months.

The organic brand manufacturers, on the other hand, lost eleven percent in sales.