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ORGANIC ”It’s great to know the consumer is being listened to and these companies are leading the way for a healthier and more sustainable future.” was that organic farming doesn’t use synthetic pesticides so effort is spent just weeding the crops by hand.” He also commented on just how many businesses are jumping on the organic train, as customer demand is growing strongly. “I really was blown away by how many companies have taken the organic path,” he said. ”It’s great to know the consumer is being listened to and these companies are leading the way for a healthier and more sustainable future. “From the fruit and veggie section to all different kinds of foods, drinks and supplements, to cosmetics and even organic wine and pet food... the range is massive, and it made me really happy seeing that.” How can retailers be a Bud? My red-hot question for Ms Ford from AOL was: what else can retailers do to help promote organics? As mentioned previously, Ms Ford is already impressed with the work of Woolworths, Coles and ALDI which seem to be extending their organics ranges constantly. Ms Ford suggests that all retailers should check that products they are putting on shelves are actually organic if they claim to be organic. An example of helpful retail layouts, she says, is at Dan Murphy’s. “They place organic category labels in front of the organic beverages down the aisles, so you can easily tell which products are organic,” Ms Ford said. Another interesting development overseas, Ms Ford cites, is that in the US, sports stadiums sell organic foods to crowds, promoting organic eating. Ms Castle and the team at bean ground & drunk emphasise how helpful the Bud logo is for promoting organic sourcing. “In a way, all Aussies need to know is to look for the Bud logo on the pack making the organic claim,” they said. “Once they’ve established the organic integrity, they can be assured that producers (such as farmers) and processors (such as bean ground & drunk and/or manufacturers) are committed – not only to produce and products, but to the organic industry’s health and long-term mission.” Ms Thompson added: “As organic continues to grow and becomes more mainstream, I think we’ll see organic products next to non-organic ones throughout the store, rather than just a small organic section.” At the end of the day, the demand for organic needs to exceed the supply, so that more companies jump on board and begin the process of becoming certified organic. Consumers are already more interested in knowing where their food is coming from, with organic demand growing strongly. “Building awareness is an important core value of our sponsorship of the Australian Organic Awareness Month,” Ms Castle said. “51 per cent of \[surveyed\] Australian consumers recognise the Bud logo. Our goal is to elevate this awareness and education around why choosing properly certified organic product is so important.” With education and promotion, retailers can become a Bud and support certified Australian organics. To learn more, or find out how you can help, visit whyorganic.com.au SEP, 2020 RETAIL WORLD 45