Organic food: per capita spending in selected countries in Europe 2021

The per capita spending on organic food in Europe varies depending on the country in question. In 2021, organic food purchases were highest in Switzerland with 425 euros spent per person. The EU average came to 104.3 euros. Eastern European countries show the lowest spending, with Estonia, the Eastern European country with the highest per capita spending, still below half of the EU average.

What qualifies as organic food?

Food products must adhere to certain national standards to be considered organic. Most commonly, this means the food is grown and processed without being subjected to synthetic compounds such as fertilizers, pesticides, antibiotics and food additives. This extends to the land which the produce is grown on, which needs to be free of prohibited chemicals for multiple years in a row. Livestock also must adhere to specific feeding, housing and breeding requirements. Further restrictions may apply. Worldwide these vary strongly form nation to nation.
In the European Union products need to be certified and specific labels for products exist to inform the consumer that the product adheres to EU standards.

Organic market in the EU

Between 2004 and 2021 organic retail sales in the EU and the entirety of Europe have seen strong growth. Germany was the leading market in 2021 with just under 16 billion Euros generated in organic sales. However, the largest share of organic products can be found on the Estonian market.