Wednesday, Jul. 22, 2009

Organic Food Sales Remain Strong

OK, not as strong. But the market is still growing — maybe 6% this year compared to 20% in recent years. This is a corollary to the sliding affection for canned soups. People want to take better care of themselves — not despite the recession but because of it, according to Packaged Facts. The firm expected sales of relatively costly edibles like pesticide-free beef, oils and veggies to crumble as more folks started minding their wallets. But it's not happening. They seem to want to do something good for their bodies and the planet even more in these tough times, perhaps to feel better about themselves and the world. "Premium" consumers (those earning at least $75,000 a year and most likely to buy organic foods) whose financial situation had recently deteriorated were the most likely to step up their organic purchases, according to Package Facts, which found that 33% of significantly worse off consumers seek organic foods, compared with 26% whose financial situation has not changed.