The UK organic industry has won its bid to unlock £1m of EU funding for its campaign to reverse decling organic food and drink sales.
The latest organic sales data shows that the rate of decline in the organic sector has slowed, with sales down 11.4% in the year to April compared with a 13.8% decline in the year to December 2009 [Kantar].
But the category is still a long way off growth and although retailers and organic food suppliers had already pledged £1m to the campaign fund, its co-ordinators had been reluctant to plan any significant activity until the result of the EU application was known.
The match-funding, which marks the first time the UK organic industry has accessed any European funding for marketing activities, has boosted the war chest to £2m.
It represented a significant step forward for the campaign, said Huw Bowles, chairman of the Organic Trade Board, joint campaign co-ordinator with Sustain. "We've worked on this bid for several years and it's a fantastic boost to the organic food industry," he said.
A 'primer' campaign kicked off in February with an advertorial in The Guardian, and a website www.whyiloveorganic.co.uk but so far only £70,000 has been spent pending the outcome of the EU bid.
With the additional EU funding the campaign would be able to progress and a full digital and press campaign was due to start later this year or early next year, said Bowles. "It will give us a great chance for growth in all organic sectors so sales start to increase again," he said.
The latest organic sales data shows that the rate of decline in the organic sector has slowed, with sales down 11.4% in the year to April compared with a 13.8% decline in the year to December 2009 [Kantar].
But the category is still a long way off growth and although retailers and organic food suppliers had already pledged £1m to the campaign fund, its co-ordinators had been reluctant to plan any significant activity until the result of the EU application was known.
The match-funding, which marks the first time the UK organic industry has accessed any European funding for marketing activities, has boosted the war chest to £2m.
It represented a significant step forward for the campaign, said Huw Bowles, chairman of the Organic Trade Board, joint campaign co-ordinator with Sustain. "We've worked on this bid for several years and it's a fantastic boost to the organic food industry," he said.
A 'primer' campaign kicked off in February with an advertorial in The Guardian, and a website www.whyiloveorganic.co.uk but so far only £70,000 has been spent pending the outcome of the EU bid.
With the additional EU funding the campaign would be able to progress and a full digital and press campaign was due to start later this year or early next year, said Bowles. "It will give us a great chance for growth in all organic sectors so sales start to increase again," he said.
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