Poll: Is it all over for organic food?

September was Organic Awareness Month. Did you take part? Do you buy organic, or do you think it's just for those who can afford it? We want to know.

Back in the pre-recession good ol' days, when we were all drunk on cheap credit and living the dream, organic seemed to be everywhere. The more upmarket supermarkets made plenty of room for it on the vegetable displays, while farm shops and farmers trumpeted it with abandon. 

In 2008 sales of organic products totalled £2.1bn. This year, according to the latest Soil Association report, they're up 0.6% from 2012, but only to £1.23bn. The green shoots of recovery may not be sprayed with pesticides, but organic is clearly not the consumer favourite it once was. The horsemeat scandal has made many of us question where our food comes from, and it's this that the Soil Association believes is responsible for the small increase in sales.

Ask the British public if they're in favour of saving wildlife and using less chemicals on their food, and most people would say yes. Yet that rarely translates into sales of organic. Why is that? Why is organic seen as a lifestyle choice for Guardian-reading, Ocado-delivering urban middle classes, rather than something everyone can access?

The cost of food

Organic food generally costs more, and money's still tight for many people. What's more, the cost of non-organic food is rising. A recent Which? report said that rising food prices are a cause of stress for many families. And The Office for National Statistics said in September 2013 that food prices have risen by 12.6% above inflation over the past six years, while incomes have stalled. 

Part of the problem with organic is that the benefits aren't immediately perceptible. Few could spot the difference in taste between organic and non-organic carrots. Equally, the other benefits - such as improved wildlife in the countryside - also feel remote when sat at your dinner table.

Poll: what do you think? 

More organic articles

Why organic milk is the only milk I drink

Riverford Farm - Inventor of the organic vegetable box

Tell us what you think of organic food in the comments box below.