The Soil Association is hailing the success of its Small Changes, Big Difference campaign after sales of organic food shot up 9% in September compared to August.
Data for the four weeks to 28 September 2013 indicated an increase in organic food sales of £7.9m compared to the four weeks to 31 August [Nielsen].
It equates to a 2% increase on sales of organic food in September 2012.
The Small Changes, Big Difference campaign ran throughout September - dubbed ‘Organic September’ by membership body the Soil Association because it is the month in which the Association launches its annual organic campaign.
During this year’s campaign, the Association asked shoppers to make a simple change in their shopping habits, such as switching from a conventional product in favour of an organic product, and highlighted the “big difference” made to the environment or farming economy as a result.
The campaign’s theme had been a great success and had been adopted by some major brands this year, which was something the Association wanted to build on in the future, said Rob Sexton, chief executive of Soil Association Certification: “This year’s campaign has shown how successful we can be when we start where people are at, with a small change and not perpetuate the myth that it is all or nothing.”
The campaign was run in partnership with independent, online and national retailers but the Association particularly focused on communicating the campaign through independent retailers, sending out over 1,000 poster packs to them.
A recent Association survey that aimed to evaluate the success of the campaign indicated that 95% of the independent shops that sell organic products were aware of the campaign, the Association said.
Organic September was supported by organic brand Seeds of Change, which ran promotions, couponing and online activity and carried out hot sampling in Sainsbury’s. “We were rewarded with our highest-value sales month for over two years,” said Seeds of Change brand manager Gary Youren.
Waitrose also reported increased sales of its Duchy at Waitrose lines in September. “Duchy at Waitrose value growth was 15.8% for the 4 weeks of September 2012 versus 2013, even though the same promotion of ‘25% off selected lines’, was run both years,” a spokeswoman said.
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