Sales of organic food and other products have risen more than 50% over the past five years but still account for no more than 4% of the total market, according to new figures from research bureau CPS GFK

Last year, total sales of organic products reached €1.4 billion, compared with €900 million five years ago. By contrast, non-organic supermarket sales went up 25% over the same period.

Consumers buy an average of 24 organic products a year, a rise of 36% on 2019.

Researcher Eric Harmsen says organic food and other goods are still only bought by a small percentage of the population, often on price grounds, and that prices have to come down to boost the number of buyers.

The Plus supermarket chain, he points out, has switched to organic for its own brand milk and buttermilk, without putting prices up.

The range of goods must also increase, Harmsen said. “Research has shown that as the supply increases, more people buy organic goods. There is an important role in this for farmers.”

Just 4% of Dutch agricultural land is certified organic, almost the lowest percentage within the EU, according to June figures from European statistics agency Eurostat.

While many EU countries are nearing the target of ensuring 25% of agricultural land is organic by 2030, growth in the Netherlands has stagnated, the Eurostat figures show. The Netherlands also has a lower target than the rest of the EU – just 15%.