Britain’s superstores cut back on organic offerings

Tesco and Asda, England’s two biggest supermarket chains have removed a considerable number of organic products from their shelves, reports The Scotsman. Tesco has cut its organic line of products by 30%. Asda has dropped 35% of its product offerings. The cause for the reduction is the drop in organic sales as consumers make the switch to cheaper foods during the economic downturn. Asda has replaced the organic products with more local food. Tesco officials have indicated the company is committed to offering organic and will continue to carry a range of products at “great” prices. The Soil Association’s Organic Market Report 2009 indicated a steep drop in sales of certain products, including fruit, baked goods, prepared foods and soft drinks. Organic products which experienced an increase in sales included milk, cheese, some meat and poultry.