By comparison, increased organic demand in Australia - where organic retailers now stock in excess of 500 lines - has occurred with many expanding ‘house-brand’ or generic organic retail lines.

Dr Andrew Monk, Standards chair of BFA, says both models have their merits.

“The healthiest approach to growing the overall category of organic would be a mix of both the proven overseas model of private company brands combined with the desire of retailers to expand their own home-brand range offerings," he said.

“Home-brands have very evidently been part of raising demand for volume of organic - however building the resilience of the market inevitably will come from a diversity of marketing approaches.

"Only future retailer competition will prove which model will be most successful for retailers and broader industry suppliers alike”.

Mr Sams says in the UK, independent labels works for both parties because organic consumers are brand loyal and are likely to spend more in-store.

“Retailers found consumers who purchase organic were more likely to select more food of a higher quality whether it was organic or not,” he said.

He said organic consumers are loyal to brands that have a proven record for quality and integrity, such as Green & Blacks – responsible for the world’s first fair-trade organic product, Maya Gold chocolate.

“The element of trade exploitation that creeps into many products just doesn’t tend to happen with organic,” Mr Sams said.