Sales soar 30 per cent
Sales of organic food and drink increased 30 per cent last year - a three-fold increase on the previous year, according to the Soil Association's annual report.

Total sales of organic produce were£1.6 million - equivalent to an extra£7 million a week. Overall, food and drink sales increased only 3 per cent.

The numbers and range of people choosing to buy organic have also risen. More than half of people in the most disadvantaged social groups (C2, D and E) now knowingly buy organic food.

Supermarkets are the biggest sellers, accounting for£1.2 billion of the£1.6 billion.

Supermarkets source 66 per cent of their organic produce from the UK - an increase of 14 per cent since last year.

Soil Association food and farming director Helen Browning said: 'While the Soil Association has seen a 42 per cent surge in the number of farmers interested in converting to organic systems, it is of concern that, overall, UK supply is falling behind demand. If public support for organic produce isn't matched by supply, supermarkets and others will again be forced to look overseas.'

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