Organic supermarkets in Germany - statistics & facts
Organic supermarkets aim, or claim, to be the gateway to that which most consumers seek: clean, reliably produced goods that do not negatively impact consumer health or the environment. These supermarkets, commonly referred to as Biomarkt or Bioladen in German, sell not only food products, but also fresh fruit and vegetables, baked goods, as well as drugstore items and cosmetics (of organic origin). To keep consumers shopping, competition between organic and traditional supermarkets increases, with the latter retailers also selling various items labeled organic or as not containing harmful ingredients (e.g. preservatives, artificial food coloring, high amounts of sugar and salt). To be defined as organic, products have to be sustainably produced, with food products in particular originating from organic farming. Part of the concept, in addition to the marketing, is transparent information about product origins for consumers. Organic supermarkets also abstain from selling genetically modified foods. The German organic label has been used since 2001, with an official logo. There is also an EU-wide organic label.
