The market share of organic products rose from 4.6% in 2007 to 9% in 2017, while the share of fresh organic food sold in Switzerland rose from just under 6% to 11.5% over the same period, the agriculture office reported on Tuesday.
One in four eggs sold in Switzerland last year was organic (26.6% of all eggs). Similar percentages were recorded for organic vegetables (23.1%) and organic fresh bread (22.1%).
In sales, the Swiss organic food market grew by 7.6% per year over the past decade. The total value of organic food sold in Switzerland rose from CHF1.3 billion in 2007 to CHF2.7 billion in 2017. Annual per-capita expenditure rose from CHF171 to CHF320.
The biggest organic distributors are the supermarket giants Migros (33% of the market) and Coop (44%). Specialist shops have lost market share (5% in total) over this period.
A total of 279 new producers managed to obtain an organic certification label in 2017, bringing the number of organic farms in Switzerland and Liechtenstein to 6,906. Of these 6,423 fall under the Bio Suisse certification scheme.
While sales of organic produce may be on the rise in Switzerland, high prices remain an obstacle to faster growth of the sector. Switzerland’s price watchdog Stefan Meierhans is aware of the issue.
“Everything was organic decades ago. Now it’s always a special label and you have to pay a lot of money, and sometimes I think it’s very much overpriced. But as long as there is enough demand, that’s the rules of the market,” he told swissinfo in a recent interview.
Popular Stories
More
Culture
Wealth is not all: how gentrification in Zurich has led to housing shortage
Swiss invention: 90-year anniversary of first T-bar ski lift
This content was published on
On Monday it will be 90 years since the world’s first T-bar ski lift went into service in Davos. This Swiss invention was an instant success.
Iran summons Swiss ambassador over US and Italy arrests
This content was published on
Iran has summoned the Swiss ambassador, who represents US interests, to protest against the arrest in the US and Italy of two Iranians.
Swisscom receives greenlight for acquisition of Vodafone Italia
This content was published on
The takeover of Vodafone Italia by Swisscom is nearing completion. All relevant authorities have now approved the €8 billion (CHF7.45 billion) deal.
Novo Nordisk stock market plunge drags down Swiss device maker Ypsomed
This content was published on
The Danish pharmaceutical giant, Novo Nordisk, faced setbacks on Friday that weighed on the share price of Swiss injection device manufacturer Ypsomed.
Swiss press react to EU deal with mix of euphoria and scepticism
This content was published on
Swiss media reaction to the agreement between Switzerland and the EU varies widely. Some are celebrating, while others worry about what is to come.
Swiss Solidarity donations to tackle child abuse top CHF4 million
This content was published on
Swiss Solidarity, the humanitarian arm of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC), has raised over CHF4 million ($4.3 million) to tackle child abuse.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Swiss reinforce position as organic ‘world champions’
This content was published on
Organic food sales amounted to CHF2.7 billion last year, three-quarters of which came from the big Swiss supermarkets Coop and Migros. Organic produce made up 9% of the market share, with fresh products accounting for half of all sales. The top sellers – eggs, vegetables and fresh bread – made up 20% of the market…
Swiss are top purchasers of organic products worldwide
This content was published on
On average, Swiss consumers spent CHF280 ($293) per person on organic products in 2015 – the highest per capita spending worldwide. According to Bio Suisse, the umbrella organization for organic farmers, 46% of Swiss shoppers buy organic products on a weekly basis and 72% buy organic several times per month. The most popular organic products…
This content was published on
Why is Swiss meat among the most expensive in the world? Farmers, consumer groups and industry experts all have their opinions.
This content was published on
The vast majority of Swiss people want local farmers to use fewer pesticides on their fields, according to a survey published on Thursday.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.