Organic products can cost up to twice as much as conventional 

Buying organic products that comply with regulations and display certification seals can cost the consumer up to twice as much as purchasing conventional products. This is revealed by the study “The true cost of sustainable consumption”, presented by Spanish organisation Asufin and which states that the price of a typical organic basket is €280 compared to the €140 of its conventional counterpart.

The study involved analysing 109 organic products with their corresponding non-organic counterparts, always looking for the most homogeneous relationship to be able to compare the results quantitatively. Differences of up to 315% were observed. The biggest differences were found in the group of legumes, with organic prices up to 217% more expensive than conventional ones, as is also the case with cereals, breakfast products, pastas and meats. On the other hand, the smallest price disparity is found in canned fish, which reaches 42%, in milk, with 38%, and olive oil.

As for retail brands, the highest organic premium was found in Carrefour, followed by Alcampo, Aldi, El Corte Ingles and Lidl.

“It is important to highlight the assumption of misleading claims and widespread greenwashing practices, which can discourage the desire for more sustainable consumption. The truth is that the proliferation of seals, certifications, etc., as well as the risk of misleading advertising, require additional effort to be able to direct our choices towards a more sustainable basket,” the report stated.