• Artisanal products accounted for a 10.5% share of organic packaged food and beverages in France in 2021, followed by Ecotone with a value share of 5.4% and Lactalis, Groupe with a share of 2.9%.
• The country ranks third globally in terms of market size, and tenth for forecast growth with a strong CAGR of 7.9% projected for the period 2021-2026.

• Organic products France registered a market value of US$5.8 bn, representing nearly 10% of global demand, with a per capita expenditure of US$88.84 in 2021.
• Demand for organic products is expected to continue to increase, leading to a CAGR of 7.9% for organic packaged food and beverages across 2021-26.

• Organic packaged food in France recorded an increase of 8.3% in 2021, registering a market size of US$4.7 billion.
• Growth in organic packaged food was fuelled by organic dairy, which accounts for 26% of the market and recorded an 8.6% expansion in 2021. This growth was mainly driven by organic cheese.
• Organic beverages witnessed strong growth in France, with retail value sales rising by 12.6% in 2021 to reach US$1.1 billion.

• Organic packaged food was already witnessing steady growth in France, due to the ongoing health and wellness trend, which was further accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Overall, organic packaged food is continuing to enjoy its trajectory, as an increasing number of consumers are seeking food which is transparent in both origin and processing methods, with a particular preference for local produce. According to Agency Bio in 2018, nine out of ten consumers in France ate organic food and nearly three-quarters of French citizens consumed organic food on a regular basis. Private label and branded products have both seen a growing number of new launches, across categories, making it easier for consumers to choose between organic and non-organic versions of packaged food. French-made or produced organic foods are the most popular amongst consumers as they trust the French organic certification process.
• The demand for organic cheese in France has risen, as consumers seek the most natural cheeses, which has resulted in growth for artisanal cheese companies who produce organic cheese and/or cheese using unpasteurized milk. Large industrial cheese manufacturers are also embracing the trend for organic cheese. Multinational cheese marketer, Bel, launched its first new cheese in 42 years (in 2019) with le Fromage de Margot, an organic cheese made in cow, goat, and sheep’s milk versions. Spreadable cheeses and camembert have also witnessed consumer demand for organic alternatives, prompting new launches from Societe, Madame Loik, St Moret and Eurial over 2020-21. Organic chocolate has also seen a rise in demand as consumers look towards permissible indulgence, a trend that marries a healthy lifestyle with snacks that are indulgent. An estimated 7% of all chocolates sold in France are now organic. Poulain recently released two organic tablets under the Bon et Bio brand, in milk chocolate, and Cote D’Or has an ever-expanding range of organic tablets in milk and dark chocolate. Though consumers are more trusting of artisanal and locally produced organic chocolate, private labels are also entering organic chocolate with Carrefour offering a huge range of seasonal organic chocolate products.
• Organic beverages were also already witnessing steady growth in France, because of the health and wellness trend, which was magnified by the Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic saw a rise in demand for organic beverages to strengthen the immune system, such as vitamin water and organic tea. Organic hot drinks witnessed the highest value sales (US$578 million) and % value growth over 2020-21 (23.4%). Consumers substituted sugary drinks with healthy, organic alternatives, such as green tea and fruit/herbal tea from leading brands such as L’Or Bio Pods and Tetley. Popular French brands offering organic coffee include Alter Eco, Ethiquable, Malongo and MEO.

• Organic packaged food in France is led by Carrefour, with a value share of 6.8% in 2021, demonstrating the strength of private labels in organic produce. There are several private labels in organic packaged food holding value shares in 2021 including Naturalia (0.7%), La Vie Claire SA (0.8%), Biocoop SA Coop (0.8%), Galec - Centre Distributeur Edouard Leclerc (0.8%) and Auchan France (0.7%). These players are paying more attention to ingredients, locality of origin, use of fair-trade raw materials, and sustainable, recycled packaging. Dairy companies are also improving their organic offerings by making their organic product ranges more sustainable on several different levels (packaging, origin of raw materials, fair trade, etc). The Les Deux Vaches brand from Les Press Rient Bio SASU (global owner Danone, Groupe) and Nestlé France SA’s Yaos Greek organic yoghurt use fair trade milk.
• Baby food and milk formula have witnessed a growth in demand for organic varieties, resulting in new organic launches from top players. Vitagermine SAS has been the top brand in organic baby food since 2018 when it overtook Hipp GmbH & Co Vertrieb KG, and the brand captured a 22.7% share in 2021. Hipp GmbH & Co Vertrieb KG has remained the second placed brand since 2018, capturing a 20.8% share in 2021. Demand for organic baby food was also accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. As parents spent more time at home with their babies, they became more conscious of the ingredients constituting their ready-made purchases for their children.
• Fruité Entreprises SA was the leading player of organic beverages in 2021, with a retail value share of 11%, followed by Lavazza France Sarl (4.8%) and Groupe Léa Nature (4.8%). Pressade, Fruité Entreprises SA’s leading brand, held a value share of 10.9% in 2021 and offers a variety of organic beverages, such as the Pressade Bio Antioxidant & Vitalité range of organic fruit drinks. Though organic alternatives exist for fruit juices, consumer demand rose for organic tea as it is perceived as a healthier beverage. The Contrex Green organic range in RTD tea uses original tea leaves such as yerba mate and white tea. RTD tea saw a lot of product innovation in 2021, as players worked to tap into the functional energy-boosting trend, as well as the return of on-the-go formats as consumers gradually spent more time away from home in the second half of the year.
• While leading organic brands enjoyed notable rises in value sales amid the strong growth climate in 2021, the market did become slightly more fragmented as new entrants and niche brands gained ground in terms of market share. All of the top 10 organic brands including Carrefour private label, Bjorg, and Jardin Bio witnessed either a stagnation or decline in market share in 2021.

• Organic packaged food and beverage consumption is forecast to exhibit a robust CAGR of 7.9% over 2022-25. Organic packaged food is forecast to exhibit a CAGR of 6.5% over 2022-25, as products feature amongst the strongest performing areas within the health and wellness space. This is set to be facilitated by the growing prevalence of private label organic products, which is widening availability across a range of consumer income brackets. The private label segment growth was accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic when disposable incomes shrunk and higher-priced and imported organic products became less affordable for consumers. Consumers are increasingly paying attention to transparency in ingredients, origin, production methods, sustainability, ethical practices, and environmentally friendly packaging.
• Edible organic oils are also expected to witness growth over 2022-25. Over 2020-21, organic olive oil fuelled the growth of this category as olive oil is a staple in French cuisine and consumers were forced to cook more as the population was confined to their homes during Covid-19 lockdowns. Major brands such as Carapelli, Puget and Terra Delyssa have all released organic olive oils, and it is these organic oils that have driven the growth in extra consumption during the lockdown periods. Whilst organic olive oil products remain more expensive than their non-organic equivalents, price differences are not as noticeable as with many other products and often packaging is identical within the same brand. During the forecast period, it is likely that this drive to organic will cross over to other edible oils.
• Organic beverages had not established a particularly strong presence online before the pandemic, though the lockdown in 2020 led to a surge in online sales. Specialty organic stores which had limited online capacities and had traditionally developed their business model for in-store selling announced plans to further develop their e-commerce capabilities in response to consumers’ changing habits and the new norm of online shopping. Home seclusion, restrictions on the operations of store-based retailing, consumer concerns about exposure to the Covid-19 and increased digital engagement all contributed to the dramatic growth of e-commerce during the pandemic. As a result, the e-commerce consumer base expanded significantly, with many consumers coming to appreciate the convenience of ordering products online whenever they liked and having them delivered to their homes. E-commerce sales of organic food and beverages are set to grow over 2022-25, as players increase their online capabilities and online product offerings. Another element behind the channel’s expansion will be the popularity of click and collect in France via hypermarkets and supermarkets.

• The health and wellness trend was experiencing steady growth before the emergence of Covid-19, however, the pandemic bolstered and accelerated this trend as consumers paid greater attention to the role of nutrition and daily diets in the maintenance of physical and mental wellbeing. Sugar will become an ever greater focus area amongst health-conscious consumers, supporting demand for better for you reduced sugar products. The ongoing shift towards more holistic and preventative approaches to health and wellness will help to drive growing interest in natural products and ingredients, though this is likely to be manifested primarily in the ongoing expansion of the organic segment, rather than the naturally healthy segment. 
• The refinement of consumers’ health concerns is also set to support demand for products providing more precise functionalities, driving innovation and expansion in fortified/functional beverages and packaged food, notably in categories such as bottled water and RTD tea. Initially, products providing an energy boost, such as energy drinks, including Red Bull, Monster and Crazy Tiger, and those supporting the effective functioning of the immune system, such as fruit/herbal teas, including Yunnan, La Tisanière and Elephant, are likely to be the main drivers of growth in the fortified/functional segment.

Economy:

• Following real growth of 7.0% in 2021, France’s economy is expected to expand 3.5% in 2022.
• Inflation in France is forecast to accelerate to 2.2% in 2022, largely due to rising prices of energy and raw materials.
• The unemployment rate is expected to stand at 7.7% in France in 2022 – below the pre-pandemic level, but higher than the average of 7.4% in Western Europe in 2022.

Population demographics:

• The population of France edged up to 65.2 million in 2021 and is expected to rise to 65.6 million by 2025.
• The gain in population is mainly driven by foreign citizens, from neighboring countries such as Portugal, Italy, and Spain. However, almost all immigrants are young or middle-aged adults, ensuring a relatively high median age. 
• The median age in 2021 was 42.3 years. 28.0% of France’s population aged 15+ had higher education in 2021, while the labour force participation rate stood at 73.6% of the working-age population in 2021.

Income & expenditure:

• The savings ratio of France is significantly higher than the regional average, reaching 22.7% of disposable income in 2021.
• Consumer expenditure per capita was recorded at US$23,067 in 2021. In real terms, the indicator is expected to rise by 4.8% in 2022.
• Disposable income per capita in 2021 was US$29,529, with the indicator expected to grow by 6.0% in real terms in 2022. For the period 2022-2030, total disposable income per capita is expected to witness a cumulative increase of 12.0%, growing at an annual average rate of 1.4%.

[1] Health and Wellness Definition: Health and wellness is the aggregation of organic packaged food and beverages, fortified/functional packaged food and beverages, naturally healthy packaged food and beverages, better for you packaged food and beverages and food intolerance products. The above definition and more can be referenced from the definitions table at the end of the report.

Top 5 Cities By Population

Top 5 Grocery Retailers By Sales

Top 5 Export Commodities To France

Note : Total organics is the sum of all exports to a country within a year.

Authorized Government Agency(s):

European Union (EU) Member States retain the authority to determine additional requirements for production within their country. They can also determine exceptions due to catastrophic circumstances, but cannot restrict access to products in compliance with EU regulations. In addition, the EC delegates most authority for the administration of organic programs to the Member States.

Name(s) of Regulation and/or Standard:

The European Union has an Equivalency Agreement with the United States.

This consolidated version repeals and replaces previous organic regulations and contains the basic legislative act plus amendments and corrections that set the rules on organic production and labeling of organic products: EU 2018/848 (pdf in English) 

Key secondary acts not included in consolidated EU 2018/848 include: 

• Retroactive recognition for the purpose of conversion, the production of organic products and information to be provided by EU countries: EU 2020/464 (pdf in English)
• Conditions for authorization and lists of authorized products and substances for use in organic production: EU 2021/1165 (pdf in English)
• Supplemental rules on the official control, traceability and mass balance checks for operators and groups of operators: EU 2021/771 (pdf in English)

A full list of basic legislative act and secondary acts are available here.

Date of Implementation: 1992

Regulation and/or Standard Scope:

EU standards cover crop, livestock, processing, and certification of groups of operators. Farm and handling plans are required, as well as detailed record keeping and detailed livestock feed standards.  Specific standards are included for aquaculture, seaweed, yeast, bees, sprouted seeds, chicory heads, wine, mushrooms, and salt. Criteria for determining allowed materials include consistency with the objectives and principles of organic farming, and materials must be of plant, animal, microbial or mineral origin. Synthetic substances, however, may be used when they replicate the natural sources and when they are approved for organic production in the EU.

EU requires that imported organic products meet EU standards. Non-EU organic products must include country of origin labeling if they wish to use the EU organic logo. Use of the EU organic logo is not required for products from outside the EU. EU requires that imported products must be from countries that have been recognized by the EU (third-countries) and certified by recognized control bodies (certifiers); or countries with bilateral equivalency arrangements (Canada, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, U.S.); or countries with equivalency agreements (Chile, Switzerland, UK).

List of third countries and the list of control authorities and control bodies recognized for the purpose of importing organic products into the EU: EU 2021/2325 (pdf in English)

Requirements have been established for importers, operators responsible for the consignments, first consignees and consignees for the import of organic and in-conversion products into the EU.

Documents and notification required EU 2021/2307 (pdf in English)

Beginning February 3, 2020, port of entry health authorities will only endorse a certificate of inspection if the certifier issued it prior to export. Certain sections of the certificates (boxes 13, 16, and 17) may be filled in with provisional information, since certifiers can not verify all of the data before the product is exported. The provisional information must be confirmed/updated within 10 days, and before the certificate can be endorsed at the port of entry.

Exports from the U.S. to EU must adhere to the EU procedures and require an EU Certificate of Inspection (COI). A USDA-accredited certifying agent must complete an electronic COI through the European Union's Trade Control and Expert System (TRACES) link before the product leaves the U.S. Certain edits to the COI may only be made within 10 days of issuing the original COI.

EU Trade in Organics

The EU requires organic certification for all those involved in production and handling, including importers. EU requires ALL processing operations to be certified, even if those products are below the 95% threshold for the "Organic" label.

EU delegates the authority for investigations, non compliance, mediation, and testing, as well as reporting, exclusion from organic sale, emergency treatments and appeals to the Member States in accordance with their respective control system plans.

The EU allows private sector standards for the product categories, such as cosmetics and textiles, which are not fully regulated by the EU.  In the EU certifiers (control bodies) can require additional organic crop, livestock and processing standards in association with the use of their certification seal.

The EU has unified the control systems that Member States and control bodies implement for investigations, non-compliance, mediation, testing, reporting, exclusion from organic sale, emergency treatments and appeals.  Required reports, records and certificates are submitted in electronic format through the use of the Organic Farming Information System.  

In addition to the EU organic regulations for certification and accreditation procedures, the requirements of EN 45011 and ISO Guide 65 for accreditation must be met. 

Requirements for recognition of control authorities and control bodies: EU 2021/1698 (pdf in English)

Use of Organic Farming Information System and templates for annual reports: EU 2021/1935 (pdf in English)

Record keeping and declaration requirements from operators and groups of operators EU 2021/2119 (pdf in English)

List of control authorities and control bodies for equivalence 

Control bodies in the European Union

FiBL Country reports
U.S. International Trade Administration

USDA’s GAIN Report France Exporter Guide (2024)
USDA's GAIN Report France Retail Foods (2023) 
USDA's GAIN Report France Food Processing Ingredients (2022)
USDA's GAIN Report France Food Service Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional (HRI) (2023)
USDA’s GAIN Report Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards Export Certificate Report (2022)
USDA’s GAIN Report Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards Country Report (2023)
USDA’s GAIN Report French Decrees Set the Timeline for the Reduction of Plastic Packaging but Offer Few Details on Implementation and Enforcement (2022)
 

USDA's GAIN Report Economic Woes Slows Growth in EU Organic Sales (2024)
USDA's GAIN Report EU 2024 Promotion Programs for Agricultural Products (2023)
USDA's GAIN Report EU Adopts New Rules for Organic Pet Food (2023)
USDA’s GAIN Report Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards Country Report (2022)
USDA’s GAIN Report Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards Export Certificate Report Annual (2022)
USDA’S GAIN Report Update on Changing EU Import Conditions for Composite Products (2022)
USDA’S GAIN Report COVID-19 Boosts Organic Food Sales in the EU (2022)
USDA’S GAIN Report European Commission Launches Public Consultation on the Revision of EU Food Labeling Requirements (2022)
USDA’S GAIN Report New EU Labeling Rules for Wines (2022)
USDA’S GAIN Report Continuing Good Prospects for US Organic Exports to the EU (2021)
USDA’S GAIN Report New EU Organic Regulation Entering Into Force in 2021 Regulatory Update (2020)
USDA’S GAIN Report EU Launches Consultation on Future Organics Action Plan (Sept. 2020)
USDA’S GAIN Report Food Labeling Initiatives in the EU Farm to Fork Strategy (2020)
USDA’S GAIN Report Pesticides Initiatives in the EU Farm to Fork Strategy (2020)
USDA’S GAIN Report Good Prospects for US Organic Exports in the EU (2020)