In 2023 consumers spent 14% more money on food with a sustainability label than the year before. Total consumer spending on sustainable food in the three sales channels surveyed, namely supermarkets, foodservice and specialty stores for sustainable food, amounted to over €12.6 billion.
As such, spending on sustainable food rose faster than total spending on food (+11%). Despite 11% inflation, the sustainable food market has still grown. The volume of sustainable food sold also increased by 3%, which is more than the increase in volume of all food sold (+1%). These facts are presented in the Sustainable Food Monitor, an annual survey by Wageningen Economic Research on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature (LVVN). "Despite sharp price increases, sales of sustainability-labelled products continue to increase," says research associate Katja Logatcheva.
More sustainable chicken sold
The percentage of sustainable food with a quality label sold remains almost the same, with over 19% of the total. For individual product groups, the trend is mixed: sales of poultry with a Better Life 1* quality label have grown strongly, for example. However, there are fewer free-range eggs on the shelves, because of the housing requirements imposed due to avian influenza. Consumers spend relatively the most on sustainable meat and meat products, long-life products & compound meals, and on sustainable dairy products.
In supermarkets, sales of sustainable products increased the most between 2022 and 2023. The Monitor reports 15% more sustainable spending, while total food spending increased slightly less at 11%. The volume of sustainable food was up 4%, while overall volume fell 1%.
Sales of sustainable products and meals are also on the rise in the food service industry, such as catering. Here, spending on sustainable food rose by 13% and the volume by around 4%. By comparison, total food spending in food service increased by 12% and the volume by 1%.
Only speciality stores for sustainable food have seen a fall in the volume of sustainable products sold. Although there has been a 7% increase in spending on sustainable products, this turnover growth is offset by high inflation. The decline in volume sold is estimated at around 4%.
Quality labels
The data in the Sustainable Food Monitor is based on the turnover of products that have a sustainability label that is monitored by an independent body. The calculations show that Better Life (about €4.3bn), Rainforest Alliance (€3.1bn) and Organic (€2.0bn) were the quality labels with the largest consumer spending in 2023.
Some of the quality labels measured have been rated as 'top labels' by Milieu Centraal because they are frontrunners in their field. Top labels had a 13% share in total spending on food in 2023.
About the Sustainable Food Monitor
The Ministry of LVVN wants insight into the sustainability of food chains in the Netherlands. An annual Monitor with integrated information was therefore established. The data used for this study came from the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) and Wageningen Economic Research (supermarkets), Foodstep (foodservice), and Bionext (sustainable food specialty stores).This database links transaction data with information on sustainability labels and logos.
In the Sustainable Food Monitor 2023, sustainable food is defined as 'food for which environmental, animal welfare and/or social aspects have been taken into account during its production and processing to a greater extent than required by law'. Only food with a quality label with independent verification is included in the Monitor.
