UK sales of organic wine rocket, as retailers expand their offer

Organic wine sales in the UK have rocketed by nearly half in the past year, proving themselves to be the star performer in the whole organic sector.  

With sales up by 47%, organic wine is the big winner in the Soil Association’s UK organic Market 2020 report, with the overall organic sector posting 4.5% growth to reach a record value of £2.45bn.  

According to the Soil Association, sales of organic produce have seen eight years of consistent growth, with consumers splashing out an average of £200m on organic food and drink each month.   With consumer interest in the provenance of their food on the increase, the UK organic market is predicted to reach £2.5 billion by the end of this year.   

But wine was the real standout performer within the organic sector, with the multiple retailers widening their organic wine offer “with great real success”.   Every week over £1 million on average is now spent on organic wine in the UK, with total sales worth around £50 million.  

And an increasing number of organic vineyards in the UK are coming through the conversion process this year.   “The explosion in sales of organic wine, and our changing climate, is encouraging more businesses to explore this interesting market,” said the report.  

UK producers with certified vineyards include Albury, Davenport, Seddlescombe, Oxney, Ancre Hill, Sunnyhill vineyard, Forty Hall, Laverstoke Park and Bridewell.  

Jamie Matthewson, wine buyer at Waitrose said: “Demand for organic wine continues to sparkle, reflecting shoppers’ interest in where their food comes from, and in turn, where and how their wines are made, meaning more shoppers than ever are seeking out organic wine.”  

Online and home delivery were the channels which recorded the largest growth for organic produce, with sales up by 11.2% overall. The report revealed that the largest growth channel for organic produce was online and home delivery, with sales increasing by 11.2% overall. Ocado, the UK’s largest online grocery retailer, increased its organic lines to over 4,500 last year, resulting in a 12$ sales uplift.  

Meanwhile independent retailers posted a 6.5% rise in organic sales in 2019, while supermarkets reported a 2.5% increase. However, supermarkets saw their market share dip by 1% to 64.6%.

And it’s not only wine where organic sales are soaring – sales of organic poultry and eggs were also up by over 12%.   Clare McDermott, business development director at Soil Association Certification, said 2020 would prove to be a “tipping point” where organic becomes the “go to choice” for eco-conscious consumers.

“With the climate crisis and British farming dominating the headlines, organic is more relevant than ever as a way for shoppers looking for simple choices to reduce their environmental impact   “Organic certification means people can be sure that what they are buying has been produced to the highest environmental and animal-welfare standards. The remarkable success of organic wine last year is proof that the demand for nature-friendly products is there, and that if retailers stock more organic, shoppers will buy it.”