There has never been more interest in what we eat, how it is produced and the impact of food on health and the planet. Nutritional and ecological awareness is growing, supermarkets are expanding their “organic” sections and studies confirm that consumers … the media are more informed than ever. But, at the same time, food inflation and the general increase in the cost of living are slowing down the real adoption of these healthy and sustainable habits. The result is a paradox: the Spanish consumer wants to eat better, but cannot always pay for it. And this, according to experts, calls into question the true degree to which healthy consumption has taken root in the country.
The paradox becomes more pronounced when we look at other data. Spain has established itself as the largest organic producer in the European Union in terms of cultivated area. YesAccording to Ecovalia data (Spanish Professional Association of Organic Production), currently the production of organic food in our country represents 13% of the useful agricultural area, which places us as the country with the largest number of hectares in Europe, ahead of France, Italy and Germany. 75% of these farms are located in Andalusia, Castile-La Mancha and Catalonia, with the predominant crops being nuts, olive groves and cereals.
Far from leaders
However, despite having the largest area of organic production among the 27 member countries, Spain occupies the ninth position in terms of organic food consumption in Europe. “Almost half of our neighboring countries already regulate minimum percentages of organic product consumption in restaurants and public dining rooms, but we have not yet reached it and we must work together for our country to move up in this ranking,” declares Diego Granado, secretary general of Ecovalia.
In absolute terms, The Spanish organic market reached 3.1 billion euros in 2024, according to the employers’ association Asobio, 10% more than the previous year. But the majority of this production ends up abroad: a good part of Spanish organic food is exported, notably to Germany and France, where the willingness to pay more for “organic” is greater. “Inflation has affected conventional products more than organic products. Our leading position in the market allows us to better mitigate these negative economic effects, since traditionally organic foods have a higher price, and our customers are willing to bear an additional cost because they know that we offer foods that are less polluting and better for their health, the planet and the future. This perception of value by consumers allows us to maintain a more stable position in the face of the economic fluctuations we are experiencing,” explains David Caré, president of Asobio.
Based on data and consumer trends collected in the Ecovalia 2025 annual report, As in recent sectoral analyses, the average organic basket of Spaniards is mainly composed of fresh organic fruits, which dominate consumption both in volume and in economic value, followed by organic vegetables, which constitute the second most consumed category of vegetables. Alongside these fresh products, organic olive oil (EVOO) is establishing itself as a high-value food within the Mediterranean diet. As for products of animal origin, the basket includes organic meat, appreciated for its added value, as well as organic eggs and organic dairy products – such as milk, yogurt and cheese – which maintain a relevant presence in organic spending.
Disparity
Spain is the largest organic producer in the EU, but ranks ninth in terms of consumption.
This growing consumer awareness of food choices marked the main conclusions of the study “Voice of the Consumer 2025” report, prepared by PwC. According to this study, 66% of Spaniards say they are “concerned or very concerned” about ultra-processed foods and the use of pesticides in agriculture. Additionally, the study reveals that 80% of consumers express concern about climate change and the sustainability of the food system. This same report explains that 61% of Spanish consumers identify price as the most determining factor when choosing food, well beyond sustainability (38%) or the origin of the product (27%).
The data is repeated in other studies: the II Healthy Radar study, approved by the Spanish Community Nutrition Society (SENC), confirms that the high price of healthy foods is the main obstacle to improving the diet, indicated by 73.1% of those surveyed. This is followed by lack of time (30.6%) and the limited supply of healthy products at reasonable prices (27.6%). “95% of Spaniards say they want to eat healthier, but less than 30% succeed systematically,” underlines nutritionist Javier Aranceta, president of the SENC Scientific Committee. “It is not a question of a lack of will, but of material conditions. If olive oil costs twice as much and a prepared meal is cheaper, the choice is not only a question of conscience, but also of economic survival,” explains Aranceta.
Critical perception
Even though proposals aimed at helping consumers eat healthily without affecting their budget are increasing, the general perception remains critical. According to the second edition of Healthy Radar, Eight out of ten people questioned consider that it is very difficult to prepare a healthy meal for less than 2.5 euros per person, a figure which is slightly worse compared to the 70% who believed it would be in 2024. This skepticism is particularly linked to the consumption of fresh food: 64% of those questioned believe that a varied diet based on fresh and minimally processed products costs more than a diet based on ultra-processed or prepared products. Only 15% consider it cheaper and 19.5% believe that the two options cost the same.
According to David Caré, president of Asobio, “for organic food to move to the next level, we need to get greater involvement at the state and government level. Some interesting measures would be: a reduction in VAT on organic products, public purchasing policies for organic foods in schools or health-related groups, greater promotion, etc.. There must be an ‘official’ driver this requires us to gain presence and penetration in the daily lives of consumers and, consequently, in their decision tree when making a purchase. It is necessary for public administrations to take measures that stimulate demand, recognizing that ecological production and consumption are public goods that benefit society as a whole. “The organic sector is fundamental to the future of people and the planet.”
“Healthy marketing”
In this context, the rise of what we call healthy marketing has transformed the way food is presented in recent years. In supermarkets, there is a proliferation of products advertised as “natural”, “organic”, “eco” or “no added sugar”, accompanied by green packaging and messages about health and sustainability. However, this avalanche of labels has left many consumers confused and suspicious of what they are actually buying.
Reality
Only 30% of consumers manage to systematically eat healthier.
Spain applies and strengthens European regulations on the labeling of foodstuffs (EU Regulation 1169/2011), which requires providing clear information on the ingredients, nutritional values, allergens and origin of certain products. This standard limits the misleading use of nutrition and health claims, allowing only those that are scientifically proven and authorized by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The Spanish Food and Nutrition Safety Agency (Aesan) monitors compliance with these regulations and can sanction misleading advertising practices.
In this situation, it occurred mobile applications like Yuka and others like it, which seek to help people better understand what they eat. These tools make it possible to scan products and know their composition, their nutritional quality or even if they contain undesirable additives, responding to a growing need for transparency. Its popularity reflects a real concern for food and the origin of products.
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