ORGANIC FOOD is being purchased by a growing number of Irish shoppers every year, according to new research.
Bord Bia said research carried out by it and released yesterday to coincide with the opening of National Organic Week showed 33 per cent of Irish grocery shoppers purchased an organic product in the past week.
This was a 2 per cent increase on figures for 2008 when this figure was 31 per cent even though the volume of organic food sales has remained steady over the year.
The research found 30 per cent of these consumers are purchasing more organic food than last year. Sixty-two per cent were buying the same amount of organic food.
The research showed fruit and vegetables accounted for the most popular purchased categories, but there had been a growth in the popularity of both dairy and meat, with 73 per cent and 69 per cent of organic buyers respectively purchasing in the past year.
Twenty per cent of non-organic buyers said they were “likely or very likely” to buy organic products in the future.
The research is part of National Organic Week, co-ordinated by Bord Bia.