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Danes remain world leaders in organic consumption

Christian Wenande
April 20th, 2016


This article is more than 8 years old.

8.4 percent of all goods sold in the Danish retail sector are organic

Denmark is still the nation in the world that has the highest share of sold organic food products, according to new figures from national statistics keeper Danmarks Statistik.

The figures reveal that the sale of organic food products in Danish supermarkets increased by 12 percent between 2014 and 2015, and that now 8.4 percent of all goods sold in the Danish retail sector are organic.

“The numbers clearly show the Danes are ready for more organic products,” said Kirsten Lund Jensen, the head of organics at the Danish Agriculture and Food Council.

“Meanwhile, the supermarkets have dedicated themselves to having the largest and most diverse selection of organic products. The strong growth in sales is a clear indication to the industry that there is a platform for organics to continue to grow in the coming years.”

READ MORE: Ants to ensure a future for organic apples

Fruit and veg boom
The Danish Agriculture and Food Council is convinced the Danish market has the potential to reach a target of 300,000 hectares of organic farming area by 2020.

It is particularly the sale of organic fruit and vegetables that has increased recently: by 28 percent from 2014-2015. One central reason is that Danish consumers increasingly prefer fruit and veg that has not been in contact with pesticides during production.

Additionally, the sale of organic meat also rose by 12 percent from 2014-2015, as did the sale of organic eggs, which rose 8 percent. Other dairy produce and expensive organic products such as wine, chocolate, coffee and tea also enjoyed growth.


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A survey carried out by Megafon for TV2 has found that 71 percent of parents have handed over children to daycare in spite of them being sick.

Moreover, 21 percent of those surveyed admitted to medicating their kids with paracetamol, such as Panodil, before sending them to school.

The FOLA parents’ organisation is shocked by the findings.

“I think it is absolutely crazy. It simply cannot be that a child goes to school sick and plays with lots of other children. Then we are faced with the fact that they will infect the whole institution,” said FOLA chair Signe Nielsen.

Pill pushers
At the Børnehuset daycare institution in Silkeborg a meeting was called where parents were implored not to bring their sick children to school.

At Børnehuset there are fears that parents prefer to pack their kids off with a pill without informing teachers.

“We occasionally have children who that they have had a pill for breakfast,” said headteacher Susanne Bødker. “You might think that it is a Panodil more than a vitamin pill, if it is a child who has just been sick, for example.”

Parents sick and tired
Parents, when confronted, often cite pressure at work as a reason for not being able to stay at home with their children.

Many declare that they simply cannot take another day off, as they are afraid of being fired.

Allan Randrup Thomsen, a professor of virology at KU, has heavily criticised the parents’ actions, describing the current situation as a “vicious circle”.

“It promotes the spread of viruses, and it adds momentum to a cycle where parents are pressured by high levels of sick-leave. If they then choose to send the children to daycare while they are still recovering, they keep the epidemic going in daycares, and this in turn puts a greater burden on the parents.”