British organic food gets a boost

Fri, 21 Apr 2006
 
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Demand for organic food by UK consumers is making supermarkets source their organic produce from suppliers in the UK . Currently the majority of organic food is shipped to the UK from abroad which ultimately impacts on the environment.

According to Supermarket Survey, conducted by the Soil Association the average availability of seasonal organic food grown in the UK available in stores has risen from 72% in 2003 to 82% in 2005. The products considered to be staples are apples, meat and onions.

Opinions from experts are that by importing organic produce a huge strain is placed on the environment in transporting the goods. This would appear to defeat the object of stocking organic produce. The Soil Association says that for every kilogram of apples transported from New Zealand, one kilogram of carbon dioxide emissions is produced. However if the apples were to be grown locally only 50 grams of carbon dioxide would be produced as a result.

The Soil Association say that because of public pressure the big five supermarkets have had to take action. Last year Tesco, Asda and Morrisons were also importing large amounts of organic meat. Tesco has now reduced this significantly and are buying 74% of its organic pork and 71% of its organic beef from UK producers. The figures last year were 58% and 52% respectively.

The reason much of the organic apples on sale in the UK are imported (70%) is because retailers say customers want blemish free fruit. But this figure is changing as demand for UK grown apples is increasing. Only 24% of apples found in supermarkets were from UK orchards but this figure increased to 40% last year.

Peter Mehchett, policy director of the Soil Association said consumers were not ‘helpless pawns’ and at the mercy of the supermarkets.

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