The Spanish organic market faces 'historic opportunity': industry leaders report in exclusive to BIOFACH

Organic products represent 3.2% of the total shopping basket. The typical organic consumer is mostly female and younger, with an average age of 40, upper-middle class, employed and with higher education. Households with young children are also significantly represented.

Consumers in Spain prioritise fresh organic products, meat, poultry, eggs, milk and baby food over other categories. Of all consumers, 33.7% choose organic because the products are natural and free of preservatives or colourings; 33.1% consider them healthier; 19.7% value their direct origin from the field; and 15.9% say they taste better. Despite this, only 36% of the population consumes organic products more than once a week.

The main challenge: balancing production and consumption

“The organic sector in Spain has experienced remarkable growth, especially in production. We have the largest organic agricultural area in the EU and more than 58,000 certified producers, which demonstrates the sector’s huge potential and commitment. However, despite these achievements, domestic consumption remains low, with a market share under 4%, far behind countries like Denmark, Germany or Austria. This paradox shows that although we excel at producing, we still have a long way to go to build a stronger and more widespread organic consumption model,” say representatives from Herbolario Navarro, a pioneer Spanish retailer specialising in natural products with 75 locations.

Stakeholders identify high prices, complex certification processes and the lack of promotion and government support as the main challenges.

“The organic market is undoubtedly growing exponentially in production, but consumption is not keeping pace. We need incentives, starting with VAT policies. We’ve launched many campaigns for people with coeliac disease, we’ve introduced reduced VAT on feminine hygiene and baby care products… But operators shouldn’t be the ones creating these incentives. The government should,” says Anselmo Méndez, CEO at Veritas, a leading organic supermarket chain with 93 stores. “We need institutional support, not only to generate demand, but also to explain the difference between eating organic and not eating organic.”

The sector calls for concrete measures to boost organic consumption

The National Food Strategy (Estrategia Nacional de Alimentación), presented in February 2025 by the Spanish Government, includes technical support and financial incentives to increase production, marketing and overall food consumption. However, the specific measures for the organic sector are insufficiently defined within the broader report.

Spain is the only major eurozone economy without a dedicated roadmap for organic production and consumption, unlike other EU countries that have introduced tax reductions for organic products, minimum organic quotas in public canteens, schools and hospitals, or national support funds complementing the CAP. As a result, Spain’s main organic organisations and stakeholders are calling for effective regulation and communication campaigns to increase domestic organic consumption and bring Spain’s market share closer to countries like Germany and France (both exceeding 10%).

In March 2025, together Ecovalia and ASOBIO, the Spanish Association of Organic Producers and Marketers, published the first Decalogue for the Organic Production, Distribution and Consumption Sector, which includes more than twenty measures aimed at securing the future of Spain’s agri-food sector, reducing its carbon footprint by up to 60% and promoting sustainable food options on supermarket shelves. Measures include: strengthening the EU organic logo, running specific campaigns for certified organic products, improving training, introducing fiscal incentives, facilitating certification processes, providing technical assistance and establishing favourable tax measures such as a super-reduced VAT rate for organic products.

“The organic sector in Spain is undergoing transformation; it is becoming more mature. Consumers no longer buy organic only out of conviction, they seek healthy, natural products with a clear purpose. The challenge now is to build more value: communicate better, keep prices accessible and ensure real sustainability from origin to packaging. Organic is no longer a fad, it's a clear consumer trend and must continue evolving,” say representatives from Naturitas, a leading e-commerce platform for natural and organic products in Spain.

“This moment is also a historic opportunity: Spain has the resources, experience and human talent to become a benchmark not only in production but also in consumption and the transformation of the agri-food system,” add representatives from Herbolario Navarro. “The growth of the organic sector is a chance to strengthen a more sustainable and fairer economy. Professional training and public awareness are key: we want every customer to understand the value of organic products and how their consumption can positively impact both their health and the planet.”