As customer demand for organic products has risen, ICA has expanded its offering. A driving force in these efforts has been to figure out how ICA can contribute to modern organic thinking.
There are many aspects to buying organically. Many people see organic foods as a solution to the problem of finding products they feel comfortable with health-wise. Others see them as an opportunity to show in a practical way how they feel about the environment. And then there are those who think it is a question of flavor, that organic alternatives simply taste better.
Those were among the thoughts that led to the decision to rebrand ICA’s existing organic product line as a new line, which was launched in Sweden and Norway in 2008 – ICA I love eco. The product range was broadened significantly. The initial launch alone comprised over 60 products, including everything from pasta sauce to limes and instant coffee.
At the end of 2008, there were around 180 ICA I love eco products.
In 2008, ICA was the first Swedish food retailer to introduce fresh and frozen organic cod with the Swedish eco-label KRAV. Part of the ICA I love eco line, this wild cod is caught from sustainable stocks outside Lofoten, Norway by a fleet of no more than 15 boats.
It is caught by hook and line, reducing the bi-catch and protecting smaller cod. Moreover, fi shing is limited to January–April. During the year, ICA also launched KRAV-labeled fresh salmon. Since 2007 KRAV-labeled frozen salmon fillets have been available as well.
The success of ICA I love eco was immediate. In Sweden, ICA’s sales of organic products rose by more than 50%.
When it was time for a launch in Norway in autumn 2008, organic sales there rose by 20%.