Choosing organic at the checkout in the Netherlands is getting noticeably more expensive again. After a period where the price gap between organic and conventional food had been slowly closing, it has widened once more — and significantly so. A fresh survey covering 166 organic products across 13 supermarket chains found that shoppers are now paying an average of 66 percent more for organic items compared to their standard equivalents. That reversal is drawing attention, particularly among consumers who see organic as the more responsible choice but are finding it harder to justify the cost.
3 hours Ago
Where the Price Gap Hits Hardest
Not all product categories carry the same premium, and some gaps are striking. Organic vegetables, fruit, chips, sauces, and tea tend to cost more than double their conventional counterparts. One of the most dramatic examples involves black tea —a 20-bag pack of organic black tea averages 2.
27 euros, while the non-organic version costs just 0.32 euros, making the organic option roughly seven times more expensive.
On the other end of the scale, categories like pasta, rice, and dairy show far smaller differences.
There are even cases where organic works out cheaper. A 500-gram pack of organic whole-wheat spaghetti, for instance, runs about one-third less than its non-organic equivalent — a rare but welcome exception to the general trend.
When it comes to where to shop, Lidl stood out for offering the lowest prices on organic goods overall.
Odin and Ekoplaza ranked among the priciest but compensate with the broadest organic selections available. Albert Heijn, Jumbo, and each carry more than 1,000 organic products, while ALDI and Nettorama lag well behind with fewer than 50 organic items apiece.
Discounts, Labels, and What It All Means
There are ways to soften the financial blow, depending on where and how much you buy.
Albert Heijn's Premium subscription takes 10 percent off organic products, Picnic offers savings on bulk purchases, and Od.
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