Organic Olive Oil Remains Small Share of Spain’s Growing Organic Food Market
A new Ecovalia report shows organic olive oil remains a small part of organic food spending in Spain, even as the country’s overall organic market continues to expand.
Latest data show that organic olive oils represent 1.76 percent of overall family spending on organic food in Spain.
According to the 2025 Yearly Report just released by the Organic Production Professional Association Ecovalia, annual per capita spending on organic food reached €66, about three percent more than the year before. While 50 percent of that spending goes to animal products, 44 percent is allocated to plant-based products.
Organic olive oil remains a marginal share of overall organic consumption, a pattern observed repeatedly in recent years.
For families and restaurants, organic spending accounts for 3.2 percent of annual food expenditures. Over the same period, the overall organic market grew by three percent, reaching €3.14 billion in 2024, with households accounting for €2.733 billion.
Household consumption patterns show that roughly two out of three Spanish households buy organic products. Still, that relatively high penetration contrasts with low purchasing intensity, as only 36 percent of the population consumes organic food more than once a week.
Ecovalia noted that organic purchasing is significantly higher in northern Europe, where per capita spending reaches €220 in Sweden and €362 in Denmark.
According to Álvaro Barrera, president of Ecovalia, Spain’s progress in organic consumption is notable but still limited in a broader European context. “We have gone from €26 to €66 per capita in recent years, which shows that the sector is advancing. However, France is already at around €176 per person, and other countries are even higher. This means we still have considerable room for growth in domestic consumption,” Barrera said to El País.
Even so, within the European context, Spain remains a powerhouse in organic food production, with more than 3.1 million hectares of certified organic farmland, making it one of the continent’s largest producers. Olive groves, along with nuts and cereals, are among the leading crops by surface area.
In Spain, the organic sector remains structurally agricultural and less focused on processing or other high-value activities. Of the more than 68,000 registered organic operators, about 84 percent are primary producers.
Ecovalia said those trends underline Spain’s central role in European organic food production, while also highlighting the slow pace of growth in domestic consumption.
By contrast, demand from abroad remains strong. According to Ecovalia, export-oriented organic activity in the country grew by 105 percent in 2023, helping to offset weak domestic demand and strengthen exports.
Still, export-related businesses account for only about one percent of Spain’s more than 68,000 organic operators, a sector still dominated by primary producers rather than export-focused companies.
While the report does not provide a full product-by-product regional breakdown, it shows that Andalusia and the Valencian Community are leading the expansion of organic food exports. Given the importance of olive growing in those regions and the large area devoted to organic groves, olive oil is likely playing a significant role in that outward growth.
Ecovalia’s report points to consumer awareness as a key constraint on the growth of Spain’s organic market. While the European Union’s organic certification logo, the Euroleaf, is widely recognized by consumers, its meaning is not fully understood.
When asked without visual cues, many consumers instead identify other labels, such as protected designations of origin, revealing persistent confusion between certification systems and labeling schemes.
That gap limits the effectiveness of organic labeling as a driver of purchasing decisions. According to the report, the Euroleaf remains the only officially regulated guarantee of compliance with E.U. organic standards, but recognition of its meaning still needs to improve.
Ecovalia said clearer, more coordinated communication and public campaigns will be needed to help consumers better understand what the label stands for.