An increasing number of consumers are expressing interest in organic food and drink, with the lockdown contributing to a growing interest in provenance and animal welfare, a recent study by Waitrose & Partners has revealed.
According to the latest OnePoll research conducted by Waitrose, more than half of the respondents said that they wanted retailers to show more information about ethical practices on product packaging.
Three-quarters of respondents said they wanted to see more British sourcing, while more than 44% of shoppers searched for products with less packaging when shopping online, the retailer added.
Demand For Organic Products
The study also found that Google searches for the Waitrose Duchy Organic range almost doubled during the lockdown.
The retailer saw sales of organic food and drink increase by 13% in this period.
Waitrose Agriculture Manager, Rob Hues, commented, “For many, the time at home has meant more time to prepare home-cooked meals and with that an increased awareness of where and how food comes to our kitchen tables.
“Provenance, animal welfare, taste and value have never mattered more to our shoppers and we see this increased interest only continuing.”
Within the category, some of the biggest year-on-year sales growth were observed for organic chicken (+42%), organic vegetables (+23%) and organic eggs (+13).
The retailer added that 52 bags of Waitrose Duchy Organic carrots, 34 blueberry punnets and 39 bags of bananas are now sold every hour on Waitrose.com.
Gloucestershire based supplier of organic eggs to Waitrose, Andrew Martin, said, “I’m delighted that the care and attention I put into producing organic eggs for Waitrose has been recognised by shoppers.
"Our hens not only enjoy organic food but are also given plenty of time for outdoor roaming and foraging, which they love.”
Origins
Waitrose Duchy Organic was originally founded as Duchy Originals by The Prince of Wales to promote organic farming and food production.
Presently, it is one of the largest own-label organic food and drink brands in the UK with a market share of 24%, the retailer said quoting data from IRI Organic Grocery Market Report.
© 2020 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Dayeeta Das. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
