You have probably heard the term “slow life”. It refers to quality of life, where consuming organic and natural products is a must. Trends such as hygge or lykke are drawing our attention to a more sustainable and natural lifestyle, embracing family and quality time, and also saving the environment. We want to avoid the risk of harmful ingredients that are believed to cause skin irritation, or even serious diseases such as cancer.
Natural cosmetics
The Polish cosmetic market is worth 3.5 billion Euros, and Polish produce is exported to over 130 countries worldwide. According to the industry website www.wirtualnekosmetyki.pl, the organic cosmetics market has grown twice faster than the rest of the sector. Eco trend has been growing rapidly for several years due to the growing awareness among consumers about their health, lifestyle, and their environmental concerns. The LOHAS market, as distinctively named by the Americans, promotes not only a healthy, but also a more harmonious lifestyle. The main consumers of natural cosmetics markets are already well established, mature women, aged between 40 and 60 years. The current estimated value of the organic cosmetic market is growing rapidly, with a predicted value of over 22 billion zloty in 2 years’ time. A typical natural range consumer is fit and healthy, invests in a better lifestyle by purchasing organic produce such as vegetables, fruits, and meat. They are not as price sensitive as their younger colleagues, as they value quality and sustainability above all. They are very likely to accept simple, yet minimalistic packaging and pay more for the right product, made by small Polish family manufacturers.
The trend in Europe is focused on modest, simple products. There is almost no entry barrier for any person willing to produce and sell their products from home, or advertise them online, as there is no legal regulation in Poland that defines exactly what natural and organic means. There are only general assumptions that organic and natural products are those that do not contain any synthetic, chemical substance such as petrolatum, paraffin, glycols, silicones, or GMO ingredients and nasty preservatives. To call an item “organic” it should be made from a minimum of 90% of organic ingredients. It should be physically compressed, dried or extracted to avoid any chemical additives in the chemical extraction process. Even if the product is sold in a pharmacy as organic, it is not very likely to be attractive as such; as a consumer’s assumption will be that it is not a totally organic and natural product. Small, home manufacturing is more appealing to consumers looking for these types of cosmetics. The main distribution channel for them is e-commerce channels and small, eco brick & mortar stores, and worth adding – Polish society.
At the moment there is no direct, precise definition of an organic product, thus allowing room for interpretation, lifting the market entry barrier, creating opportunities for foreign brands to explore the Polish organic market, and gain new possibilities for exporting their goods to Poland.
Return to traditional food produce and preparation
As an agriculture industry portal reveals, Poland is the third leading country when it comes to organic food produce. In 2013, there were over 26,000 registered organic producers, along with 30 importers. The European Union’s organic food market is worth over a whopping 22 billion Euros! Most Europeans shop for organic produce in special, dedicated shops (67%), in supermarkets (65%), directly from the farmers (54%), with only 7% ordering online. Consumers are motivated by a consciousness of the harmful effect of consuming GMO and pesticide packed products and the mass production impact on the natural environment. According to Mintel almost 20% of consumers are prepared to pay more for organic products.
The organic market is booming. The value of the organic market in Poland is changing, from 167 million Euros in 2015, to 1 billion in 2017. That’s a dynamic growth of 10-20% per annum!
According to the report “Organic food in Poland 2017” prepared by IMAS International, prices of organic products are much higher than non-organic products, by 50% and upwards. Big differences in prices between eco and conventional food result from high production costs, logistics and the small scale of production. This is the natural market situation in a growth phase, but with its development, these differences will decrease.
Organic food is more and more widely available in large retail chains, some of which have own brands of organic food. Retail chains outside organic food have a wide range of special diet foods such as gluten-free, lactose-free, or vegetarian. Most stores with organic food are located in large agglomerations, but these stores are also beginning to appear in cities with less than 100,000 inhabitants.
The development of the healthy food offer, including organic food, was particularly intense in the Carrefour chain. In 2014, Carrefour launched a nationwide campaign “For love of health”, whose goal was to promote a healthy lifestyle.
Organic lifestyle
Apart from food and cosmetics, Polish consumers value a whole range of products manufactured in an ethical and organic way. From eco bags, furniture, candles, baby products, to eco cleaning products and jewelry. A craving for healthier alternatives is mainly visible in big cities, but along with the increase of social consciousness that Poles owe to Polish parenting blogs among others, the trend is spreading across the country.
It is a large, conscious and eco sensitive market to explore. With the help of an ethnic marketing agency such as All 4 Comms, you are able to:
- Prepare an effective and cultural sensitive marketing strategy for the Polish market
- Gain valuable insights from the Polish market
- Tailor your communication objectives for Poles
- Expand your market opportunities for organic products in Poland
- Comply with local law, regulations, and business etiquette in Poland
- Apply effective marketing solutions to communicate your values
- Build your brand awareness in leading specific niche media in Poland
- Cooperate with the best specialists experienced in international markets
- Get British customer service quality at every step of your journey with us, without any miscommunication hiccups
If you are ready to explore the Polish organic produce market, do not hesitate to contact us now.
Remember, the law defining an organic product might change and the possibilities of entering the Polish market may shrink in the not too distant future. The best time to approach Polish consumers is now, while the trend seems to be increasingly popular and flourishing with over 10-20% growth every year. Act now! Contact us.