In Belgium, the Walloon organic sector is already a well-developed market

Published Sep 2, 2021

Tridge summary

In 2020, Belgium saw a 13.5% increase in consumer spending on organic products, totaling 890 million euros. This growth was more pronounced in Wallonia than in Flanders, with per capita spending being nearly twice as high in the former region. Health concerns were the primary factor driving organic purchases in Wallonia, whereas environmental issues were more important in the Netherlands. The market share of fresh organic food products in Belgium remained steady at 3.4%, with Wallonia showing a higher share of 4.9%. The average price of organic products was 30-33% higher than conventional products. The sales channels for organic products in Wallonia have shifted towards hard discount and specialized organic stores, while traditional supermarkets have seen a decline in market share. However, Wallonia is experiencing overproduction in several sectors, leading to increased price negotiation and quality demands. Organic farming in Wallonia already covers 12% of the agricultural area and 15% of the farms, accounting for 91% of Belgium's organic farming.

Disclaimer: The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

Organic market in Belgium and Wallonia The demand for organic products is traditionally stronger in Wallonia than in Flanders. This can partly be explained by the relatively strong bond of the Walloons with their “terroire” (for example, regional and local products are popular in Wallonia), the fact that Walloon agriculture is oriented locally rather than internationally, that there are relatively many organic sales points and that Wallonia has a low level of urbanization (ie a wider availability of agricultural land). It is striking that health is the predominant purchase argument for Walloons, in contrast to the Dutch, who are more guided by environmental considerations. Total consumer spending on organic products in Belgium increased by 13.5% in 2020 to 890 million euros (both food and non-food). This growth figure deserves some qualification, because total expenditure on food increased by 12% in 2020 as a result of the pandemic. If you look only at food and drinks, the total ...

Source: Agroberichtenbuitenland