Organic-Food-Statistics

27 Organic Food Statistics: Is It Really Healthier? [2024 Update]

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Numerous organic food statistics prove that almost 70% of Americans believe organic fruits and vegetables are healthier than conventionally grown options. So, what does organic mean, anyway?

Simply put, organic food is grown without synthetic chemicals, such as human-made pesticides and fertilizers. Also, it doesn’t contain genetically modified organisms.

To understand why more and more consumers choose organic foods, we have to look at the statistics. So, let’s dive right in.

Key Organic Food Facts and Stats (Editor’s Choice)

  • Organic foods make up only 5.7% of food sales in the US
  • The worldwide organic beverage market is most likely to grow at a CAGR of 12.3% by 2025
  • In the US, up to 92% of corn is genetically engineered
  • Organic meat and milk can have approximately 50% more omega-3 fatty acids
  • Organic food is 10–20% more expensive
  • A quarter of Americans have never purchased organic food
  • The US has five million acres of organic farms
  • The organic baby food industry has a CAGR of 10.1%

Organic Food Statistics For 2024

27 Organic Food Statistics Is It Really Healthier [2021 Update] F1

Nowadays, many people want to eat healthy, and they believe that organic foods are more robust. The collected data shows just how big the industry is and how it reached this unprecedented point.

1. Global organic food sales are predicted to reach $849.7 billion by 2028.

(Globe News Wire)

The data about organic food sales and market growth aren’t available from all the places in the world. Still, where the records are easily accessible and estimated, organic food market size is expected to increase at a CAGR of 16.42%.

2. The US organic food sales reached $56.4 billion in 2020.

(Food Beverage Insider)

According to OTA (Organic Trade Association), organic product sales in the US increased by 12.4% in 2020, breaking the $60 billion mark. It was expected that the impact of the coronavirus outbreak would increase sales as health has become an issue many people have taken seriously and will continue to do so.

3. Organic food products like greens and endives have a shrinkage percentage of 50%.

(Yahoo)

According to various statistics on organic foods, the low shelf life and high distribution, logistics, and packaging costs limit the growth of this market. On top of that, some studies have proven that organic food contains more bacteria that causes food spoil.

4. Organic food sales make up only 5.8% of all US food sales.

(Statista)

Many facts about organic food show that Americans still prefer regular food. Nevertheless, if we compare it to 3.1% in 2008, we can see that people have slowly been changing their minds.

5. Organic fruits and vegetables account for 15% of the total US retail produce market.

(Vegetable Growers News)

According to the organic food consumption statistics, organic food sales have increased. For instance, fresh produce sales rose by almost 11% in 2020, frozen fruits and vegetables by 28.4%, canned fruits and vegetables by 24.7%, and dried beans, fruits, and vegetables increased by 18.1%.

6. The worldwide organic beverage market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 12.3% between 2020 and 2025.

(Mordor Intelligence)

According to the data regarding the organic food market size, the North American region is the largest market for organic beverages. In addition to that, the Asia-Pacific market will most likely grow faster in the future. The main reason is that consumers are becoming increasingly conscious about the quality of their food.

Organic Food Facts and Statistics – Health and Environmental Benefits

27 Organic Food Statistics Is It Really Healthier [2021 Update] F2

Why do many nutritionists and other experts insist on organic food? According to them, organic food has many vitamins and minerals, more antioxidants, and fewer chemicals. Let’s see some interesting facts about organic foods regarding health and the environment.

7. Up to 92% of all corn in the US is genetically engineered.

(Center For Food Safety)

A very interesting fact about organic food is that 94% of all soybeans and cotton seeds are genetically altered to produce a better yield.

While there are ongoing debates about the safety of genetically engineered crops, organic food is considered safer as it’s produced by tried and tested traditional methods.

8. Organic vegetables and fruits have 20 to 40% more antioxidants than the conventional ones.

(National Public Radio)

One of the organic food nutrition facts you should consider is that nutritional value is higher and less toxic than its non-organic counterparts. However, they mostly have the same levels of nutrients.

So, how can an organic food diet improve your health and overall wellness? The answer lies in the vast difference between antioxidant levels and regular food (they protect cells from aging and damage that may lead to cancer).

9. There is a 48% lower chance that organic crops will test positive for cadmium.

(NCBI)

Cadmium is a heavy metal that accumulates in the kidneys and liver, and it’s toxic. Apart from the lower cadmium content, facts about organic food benefits point out that organic crops are less likely to have detectable amounts of pesticide.

10. Organic milk and meat can have around 50% more omega-3 fatty acids.

(Science Daily)

What makes organic food healthier is a higher percentage of vitamins, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids. Here’s one of the conventionally-grown food facts—the differences in food typically come from how livestock is raised and fed. Meat and milk from animals that graze freely in the field are healthier in terms of fatty acids content.

11. In general, organic food is considered to be 20–40% healthier.

(Nutrition Facts)

Many healthy food industry statistics prove that conventionally grown food isn’t as healthy as organic food. However, there aren’t notable differences in the level of nutrients, except for some antioxidants.

12. Food labeled as “organic” must contain at least 95% organic ingredients.

(How Stuff Works)

Only foods labeled “100% organic” are entirely made of organic ingredients. There are also some other labels, such as “made with organic ingredients” (contain at least 70% of organic ingredients) and even “transitional” (such foods are produced during the conversion period from conventional to organic farming).

Demographics of Organic Food Consumers

27 Organic Food Statistics Is It Really Healthier [2021 Update] F3

Since the pandemic started, a healthy diet has been moving upwards on people’s priority lists. However, some parts of the population seem to be more interested in organic food. Let’s see what the stats say.

13. 81% of American households buy at least one organic item when shopping.

(The Balance)

According to organic food consumers’ statistics, the current trends are moving towards what is seen as a healthier option.

As a result, a broad range of organic products experienced double-digit growth in the past several years, as most American citizens tend to buy at least one organic item when shopping.

14. 47% of Americans try to include organic foods in their regular diet.

(Gallup)

Statistics show that nearly 50% of US citizens aim to include organic food in their diet. On the other hand, 41% stated that they didn’t care whether their food was organic.

15. With 36%, people aged 18 to 29 lead the charge for organic foods.

(Statista)

Trends in organic food show that more millennials and Gen Zers gravitate towards organic alternatives to be more eco-friendly. As a result, their contributions to the industry will continue to grow in the coming years.

16. In 2019, an average Danish consumer spent around €344 on organic food.

(Statista)

When it comes to organic food consumption by country, we can say that Danish and Swiss consumers purchase organic food the most. In Switzerland, people spend around €312 on organically grown food. The US is ranked 8th on this list, with €136 per capita.

17. Organic food is 10–20% more expensive than conventionally grown food.

(The Grocery Store Guy)

Many foods, like yogurt, cheese, or peanut butter, are typically more expensive when they’re organic, and some people have trouble purchasing them. However, organic oatmeal, brown rice, and various other grains are usually cheaper than conventionally-grown foods.

18. 25% of Americans have never purchased organic foods.

(Statista)

One of the interesting organic food facts is that some people have never bought organic food. However, this statistic isn’t actually surprising, as organic food is usually more expensive.

19. Millennial parents buy organic food more than any other age group, and 26% are either vegetarian or vegan.

(Heart)

Many millennials plan to move to plant-based foods and beverages. As a result, innovation in the organic dairy sector has been more significant, with many responding to the increased protein, more full-fat dairy products, new flavors, and grass-fed products.

20. There are only 20,000 natural food stores with organic products.

(USDA)

Moreover, nearly three out of four grocery stores offer at least some organic products. As statistics about organic food reveal, the demand for organic food grows faster than the domestic supply.

Other Noteworthy Organic Food Statistics

27 Organic Food Statistics Is It Really Healthier [2021 Update] F4

It’s not just processed food, fruits, and vegetables that people want when it comes to organic food. The industry is much bigger than that. For instance, the organic dairy market is slated to grow remarkably well in the coming years.

21. The US has five million acres of organic crops.

(Pew Research)

Unfortunately, five million acres is less than 1% of the total 911 million acres of US farmland. However, organic food statistics show that some states have a larger share of organic farmlands than others. For instance, organic farmland in Vermont accounts for 11% of its total yield of crops.

22. The US imports organic food from at least 111 countries.

(OTA)

According to organic food trends, Mexico is the leading supplier of organic products to the US. Moreover, imports from Mexico represent approximately $324 million annually.

23. More than 71.5 million hectares of global farmland are organic.

(IFOAM)

Research reveals that the worldwide organic farmland has increased by 2.0 million hectares, with over 2.8 million organic producers. India has the biggest number of producers (around 1.1 million), followed by Uganda (210,000) and Ethiopia (204,000).

24. Australia has 35.7 million hectares of organic agricultural area.

(Organic Without Boundaries)

Australia has the largest organic agricultural area in the world. Argentina is second (3.6 million hectares), and China is third (3.1 million hectares). An interesting fact about organic food is that half of the worldwide organic agricultural land is in Oceania because of Australia’s large area of organic farmland.

25. The organic dairy market will grow to over $28 billion by 2023.

(Statista)

Organic dairy is the largest organic product category after organic fruits and vegetables. One of the most encouraging and interesting facts about organic food is that cows on organic farms can graze, are free from growth hormones, and are not kept in cramped spaces. Globally, the market was worth $18 billion in 2017 and is projected to grow to over $28 billion by 2023.

26. The organic baby food industry has a CAGR of 10.1%.

(Allied Market Research)

The global organic baby food market is projected to reach a mind-blowing $11.592 billion by 2023. With the growth rate hovering just above 10%, this trend in organic food shows us that more people want to feed their children healthier food.

27. The organic coffee market will probably reach $12.6 billion by 2026.

(Allied Market Research)

According to the health food trend statistics, even the organic coffee market is expected to grow. Organic coffee isn’t as popular as dairy, fruits, or vegetables, meaning that this growth is impressive.

Organic Food Statistics – Wrap Up

It seems that those interested in organic food are usually vegans and vegetarians, but it’s not always the case. Nevertheless, people have realized the benefits of organic products, and these statistics can prove it.

The latest organic food industry trends prove that people have started perceiving organic food not only as a trend but also as an expectation.

Unfortunately, organic products are still considered expensive and not easily available to low-income families. All in all, we hope that this will change in the future, as growing organic food has numerous environmental benefits.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is organic food really better?

It is, as it has more antioxidants and can have up to 50% more omega-3 fatty acids. One of the things worth mentioning is that organic food is less likely to have a detectable amount of pesticides than conventionally grown food.

How much more expensive is organic food?

Organic food is 10–20% more expensive, but that isn’t surprising. First, fewer pesticides and toxic chemicals that kill insects and parasites reduce production. Second, it’s harder to find it because of relatively small amounts. Still, investing in such food is a good thing if you’re able to do so.

How does the general population feel about organic foods?

All types of people buy organically grown food—from environmentalists to people who have allergies or food intolerances. However, statistics show that millennials (especially parents) and Gen Zers buy organic food more than other age groups.

However, people who generally eat organic food claim that it tastes better, while around 60% think it tastes the same as conventionally grown food.

How many people eat organic food?

According to the Simmons National Consumer Survey (NHCS) and the US Census data, 94.38 million people consumed organic food in 2020.

Apart from that, millennials tend to buy organic food the most, while 25% of Americans say they’ve never purchased organic food. A promising statistic is that 47% of people occasionally buy organic food for their households.

Which country eats the most organic food?

Globally, Switzerland and Denmark have the highest per-capita organic food consumption. Moreover, citizens of Luxembourg frequently buy organic food. On the other hand, Australia has the largest organic agricultural area.

Is organic food becoming more popular?

The latest data shows that organic food is becoming more popular. In fact, organic food would be even more popular if it wasn’t expensive and more people could afford it.

Organic food makes up only 5.7% of all US food sales, and the country has five million acres for growing organic food. Furthermore, only 1.2% of the global agricultural land is organic.

Nevertheless, organic food statistics also indicate that this industry is growing due to increasing demand.

Sources:

  1. Allied Market Research
  2. Allied Market Research
  3. Center For Food Safety
  4. Ecovia Intelligence
  5. Food Beverage Insider
  6. Gallup
  7. Globe News Wire
  8. Heart
  9. How Stuff Works
  10. IFOAM
  11. Mordor Intelligence
  12. National Public Radio
  13. NCBI
  14. Nutrition Facts
  15. Organic Without Boundaries
  16. OTA
  17. Pew Research
  18. Research and Markets
  19. Science Daily
  20. State of the Planet
  21. Statista
  22. Statista
  23. Statista
  24. Statista
  25. Statista
  26. Statista
  27. Statista
  28. Supermarket News
  29. The Balance
  30. The Grocery Store Guy
  31. USDA
  32. Vegetable Growers News
  33. Yahoo