German consumers save a record amount on sustainable food

The GfK Sustainability Index for October fell to 88.1 points for FMCG-goods, thus hitting an all-time low. The proportion of people who regularly buy sustainable products has fallen from 27% to 20%, and only 62% are willing to pay more for them, down 7% from July.

Sustainability is still a major concern in fresh food categories such as vegetables, fruits, meat and fish, with 53% of shoppers choosing them because they are sustainable. Sustainability is the most important to consumers for staple foods such as rice (44%) and dairy products (43%), while only 22% of consumers prioritise sustainability for alcoholic beverages and home furnishings.

Although the overall sustainability trend is downwards, the organic food market has grown: according to NIQ’s latest retail panel data, organic food sales volumes are up by almost 10% compared to last year. Consumers continue to seek environmentally friendly solutions, especially local products. According to GfK, footfall in higher-priced organic shops is declining, while interest in organic private labels is growing.

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