Dutch sustainable food spending rises to 15.6 billion euros

A study by Wageningen University & Research reveals that Dutch consumers spent nearly 15.6 billion euros on food with sustainability labels last year, representing a 6 percent increase from the previous year. However, researchers note that this growth is largely driven by price increases rather than a shift in consumer habits, as the share of sustainable food in total food expenditures remained stagnant at 22 percent.

Spending on organic products rose by 13 percent to nearly 2.5 billion euros, while the ‘Beter Leven’ label remained the most widely used certification, accounting for approximately 5.7 billion euros. Most of this spending occurred in supermarkets, which accounted for over 13.3 billion euros. Specialty sustainable food stores saw an 8 percent increase in spending, reaching 495 million euros, while growth in the hospitality and catering sectors was limited to 1 percent.

Researcher Katja Logatcheva stated that without initiatives from the food supply chain, the market share of sustainable food is unlikely to increase significantly. She noted that historical growth in certified food typically occurs when distributors and suppliers work together to certify entire product groups.