Price and quality

What about the price of organic food?

Organic food may cost more because:
• labour costs can be higher because of organic farming methods;
• yields may be lower;
• organically grown feed for animals can be expensive to buy;
• processed organic foods can be more expensive than conventional equivalents, because ingredient costs are higher and other organic restrictions can lead to higher costs;
• smaller quantities and longer distances usually raise the costs of distribution and marketing;
• as with any product, when demand is high and supply is low, the price goes up and the farmer has very little control over this!

How can I find organic food at a reasonable price?

• You can often buy direct from the producer. This might be by box schemes, from farmers' markets, online sales, mail order or farm shops.
• Produce can be cheaper when it's in season.
• Most supermarkets and wholefood shops stock organic produce: if you can't find it,
ask for it!
• By preparing your own food and avoiding highly processed foods, you may find that you are not paying any more overall than you would for non-organic food.
• to find out where you can buy organic produce, download our booklet Local and Organic.

What about the quality of organic food?

• Organic food contains fewer residues of the pesticides used in conventional agriculture, so buying organic produce is one way to reduce the chances that your food contains these pesticide residues.
• There are indications that organic fruit and vegetables may, on average, contain higher levels of vitamin C and other important minerals.
• The routine dosing of farm animals with antibiotics is not allowed.
• Only about 30 additives, such as salt and baking powder, are permitted in organic processed food, compared with more than 290 additives permitted for use in non-organic processed foods.
• Hydrogenated fats, linked with heart disease, are not allowed in processed organic foods.
• Milk from organic cows fed on high proportions of grass and clover has a higher content of Omega 3 and other essential fatty acids.
• A healthy diet should be well balanced and should contain plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. A diet dominated by highly processed foods may contain unhealthy levels of sugars, saturated fats or salt, whether or not it is organic.

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