LONDON (AFP) — Organic product sales in Britain grew 22 percent in 2006 from 2005, challenging the country's capacity to meet domestic demand for organic goods, a report published Saturday said.
"Strong growth and dynamic public support for organic food, drink, textiles and health and beauty products," had made the British organic market the third-largest in Europe after Germany and Italy, according to a report by organic organisation Soil Association
Organic products make up 1.6 of the food market in Britain and sales hit two billion pounds (2.95 billion Euros, 4 billion dollars) for the first time in 2006, it added.
One issue of concern was the lack of domestically-grown organic cereals, causing British farms to look overseas for cattle grain.
For the first time, free-range egg sales were surpassing caged chicken egg sales, according to the Soil Association. "Consumer concerns over animal welfare appear to be driving changes in the poultry sector," it reported.
Britons spend 37 million pounds (54.6 million Euros, 74.6 million dollars) a week on organic products.
The largest number of organic consumers live in London, and households with children under 15 are more likely to buy organic than those without children.
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