Economic concerns are causing Americans to take a harder look at grocery purchases. “Across the board, Americans are spending less and ‘organic versus traditional’ is a decision many people are thinking about carefully,” says Marcia Mogelonsky, Mintel’s senior analyst points out.

The research firm cites two major cost-related challenges for organic food producers: rising food prices and private-label brands. Prices for food consumed in the home increased 7 percent this past year, according to Mintel’s report. “To cope with higher prices many shoppers are simply opting not to buy pricey organic or premium brands,” says Mogelonsky.

However, there are more private-label organics brands to choose from than ever before. Mintel tracked more than 540 private-label organic food introductions in 2007, that compares to 2003 when 35 new organic products hit the market.

“We don’t expect people to completely stop buying organics,” says Mogelonsky. “We anticipate more subtle changes, such as the formerly all-organic shopper who returns to traditional cookie brands while sticking with organic produce. These small changes will slow market growth.”

One example worth noting is that Whole Foods has watched fourth-quarter profits drop, dropping to $1.5 million in the quarter ended Sept. 28, compared to $33.9 million for the same time in 2007.

John Mackey, Whole Foods’ chief executive officer told market analysts, “The unrelenting negative economic news appears to be shifting buying behavior to making fewer trips and to making more value conscious decisions.”

Source: Mintel, Meatingplace, Porkmag

The city also found unsafe levels of melamine in China-made fish feed that were used at a local farm, after a similar scare over eggs.

All this has proven to be a boom for sales of organic food. Despite tightening budgets, when it comes to high-end grocery shopping, people in Hong Kong are still willing to dish out the extra cash.

One said: “I’m always willing to pay a little more for organic food because I think it’s better for the earth, not just for people.”

“I don’t want to take any chances,” another added.

Organic products are much pricier than regular produce because no artificial additives and less chemicals are used in their processing.

Hong Kong’s largest organic food store, Three Sixty, has seen a jump in sales.

Doreen Hong, Consumer Communications Manager, Three Sixty, said: “People are focusing more on the basic needs. How do they purchase for their family? What should they do?

“And instead of spending lots of money dining out extravagantly, they may be focused on buying good quality, wholesome, nutritious and delicious food.”

The store also saw a surge in demand for organic milk and eggs after the industrial chemical melamine was found in those products from the mainland.

For those worried about food contaminated by chemicals, it seems organic is the way to go. But the problem is, there is currently no across-the-board certification law in Hong Kong.

Organic labelling is done on a voluntary basis and stores rely on food certification from the country of origin for imported goods.

The Hong Kong Organic Resource Centre said having so many different labels is confusing for consumers and a lot of them need more assurances on the safety of organic products.

Jonathan Wong, director, Hong Kong Organic Resource Centre, said: “If they bought the tomato from Malaysia and say that this is organic, and imported to Hong Kong without any labelling besides saying that it is organic, there’s no way you can prove it unless you go back to their farm or go back to their production line.”

The centre is calling on the government to establish a certification law as soon as possible.

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Source: CNA/so

The fast-growing organic and natural food market is the highlight of the Middle East Natural & Organic Products Expo (MENOPE 2008), to be held from November 16 to 18 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. Organised by Dubai-based Global Links, the event is supported by the UAE Ministry of Health and Ministry of Environment & Water.

The organic food market is growing at an estimated 20 to 25% annually. More than 175 companies from over 35 countries will showcase an array of natural foods at the expo, expected to be attended by lifestyle specialists, nutritionists, retailers and healthcare professionals.

Addressing a press conference, Eng. Nadim Al Fuqaha, Managing Director, Global Links, said: ‘Organic and natural food products are not a fad anymore; they are a lifestyle choice that is of considerable relevance in nutrition management. This is particularly relevant for the Middle East region given the high rates of lifestyle diseases such as obesity, stress, cardiac disorders and cancer, which contribute to soaring healthcare bills. The high levels of antioxidants in natural food products enable them to mitigate lifestyle disease risks.’

He added: ‘The growing interest for natural and organic food products is reflected in the response to MENOPE. There is strong participation from the UAE at the expo reiterating the locally-driven initiatives in promoting natural foods. Government authorities in the region are increasingly focusing on sustainable development initiatives in which organic farming can play a key role.’

Today, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Oman have more than 3,000 outlets for natural and organic products. Several farms in the region are setting aside resources for organic farming. Simultaneously alternative therapies like Ayurveda and herbal treatments are gaining ground, further linking lifestyles to organic foods.

With the merger of Arab Naturals Expo & Conferences, MENOPE offers a larger regional platform for the organic industry. Internationally, the exhibition is supported by the International Federation of Organic and Agricultural Movements (IFOAM) and Korea Health Supplement Association (KHSA).

The expo will showcase a variety of products including Herbs and Spices, Foods & Beverages, Cereal Products, Supplements, Health Care products, Natural Living, Natural Cosmetics, Healing Products, Natural remedies, Traditional Medicines, Spas, Relaxation facilities, Pet products and fabrics.

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Source: AME Info

June 20. The season starts with news of a Which? report that a panel of 120 taste testers found no differences between organic and conventional strawberries although the former cost two to three times as much. (Which? is the UK equivalent of Consumer Reports.)

July 6. Researchers at Bristol University in the UK find that organic chicken is not as tasty as conventionally-raised chicken. (Many people buy organic food because they believe it tastes better, but whenever tests are conducted scientifically, no taste differences are found.)

July 21. The American Council on Science and Health publishes an article written by me that points out chapter and verse showing that there is no scientific evidence to support claims made by the Organic Center for the nutritional superiority of organic food, an organic food advocacy group funded mainly by the organic food industry to promote its products. A reply from the Organic Center to my article is easily rebutted.

July 24. A study at the Harvard School of Public Health and published in Human Reproduction finds that soy foods may be responsible for low sperm counts. (For years, proponents of organic food have claimed that pesticides were responsible.)

July 24. An investigation by WJLA, a Washington DC TV station, finds illegal quantities of aldicarb, a very toxic pesticide, in Whole Foods’ organic ginger. Further investigations reveal that the ginger was imported from China, as were a number of other organic vegetables sold by Whole Foods. Certification of the ginger was provided by Quality Assurance International (QAI), the largest organic certifier in the world. Since the Chinese government does not permit foreigners to inspect their farms, QAI subcontracts the actual inspections to Chinese nationals.

(Air and water pollution are severe problems in China, so even food grown under strict organic conditions is not necessarily free of pollutants such as lead and mercury. Organic consumers would do better to stop worrying about infinitesimally small residues of pesticides in their food and demand that food from China be tested for environmental pollutants before being sold in the United States.)

August 1. Another article I wrote, “Milking the Facts,” is published in the Guardian. The article shows that in spite of the large percentage increases in “healthy” milk nutrients found in milk from cows raised organically at Newcastle University, health-conscious consumers would need to drink up to 170 quarts of saturated-fat-laden organic milk every day to avail themselves of healthful quantities of all these nutrients.

August 4. In a welcome respite from the drumbeat of bad news, Hotel Interactive reports organic liquor is “poised” to be the next food and beverage trend. (Organic cigarettes will probably follow.)

August 6. The Organic Consumers Association (OCA), a pro-organic food advocacy group, issues an alert that fifteen of the thirty organic certifiers inspected by the United States Department of Agriculture failed the audit. (Organic consumers should take heart, however, if they think one out of two isn’t that bad.)

August 6. Whole Foods announces a 31% decline in third-quarter profits from a year earlier. The shares close at $20.04 on the New York Stock Exchange, about 72% below their price at the start of 2007.

August 8. Tesco, the largest seller of organic food in the UK, announces price reductions of up to 25% for certain organic foods because of growing consumer resistance to high prices.

August 8. Research conducted at the University of Copenhagen demonstrates “no clear difference in the vitamin and mineral content of crops grown organically and those using legally permitted levels of fertilizers and pesticides.”

August 9. An article in the Calgary Herald raises serious questions about the accountability and credibility of claims by Canadian organic food proponents.

August 9. Health officials in Massachusetts link seven illnesses from E. Coli contamination of ground beef sold at Whole Foods markets. According to news reports, Whole Foods purchased this meat from Coleman Natural Foods, a company that, according to its website, “offers a full line of natural and organic fresh meat and prepared foods.” The moral of this story is clear. E. coli contamination is difficult to control in the meat packing industry, and it doesn’t seem to make much difference if the meat is organic or conventional. Breakouts of this dangerous organism, which can cause kidney failure and death (mostly in children and the aged), have occurred repeatedly. Isn’t it time that the organic food industry drops its ill-conceived opposition to food irradiation?

August 17. Phil Woolas, the environment minister of the UK, challenges the Prince of Wales to provide evidence that genetically modified foods are a “disaster” and states that government ministers have a responsibility to base policy on science. (And not monarchical pseudo-science.)

August 19. Nina Federoff, a Professor of Biology at the University of Pennsylvania and recipient of the prestigious National Medal of Science, tells the New York Times, “If everbody switched to organic farming, we couldn’t support the earth’s current population — maybe half.”

August 21. The FDA, at long last, permits irradiation of spinach and iceberg lettuce despite organic food industry objections. (According to the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990, irradiation of organic food is illegal. Now consumers who think that organic food is healthier will have to choose between, on one hand, the theoretical risks from pesticides in food and genetically modified organisms — there being not one case of proven human illness from them — and, on the other hand, food poisoning, which is estimated by the Centers for Disease Control to cause about 76 million illnesses and 5,000 deaths every year.)

September 4. Time magazine claims that if American agriculture went completely organic we would need 40 million instead of 1 million farmers to feed us.

September 8. Sir David King, president of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, castigates aid agencies in the US and Western Europe for encouraging African farmers to continue use of organic agricultural techniques — “with devastating consequences.”

Literatured by Joseph D. Rosen, Ph.D.
Source: ACSH.org

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