Western Europe

Cheese consumption suffered a substantial decline in 2022 as the impact of economic instability, supply chain issues and high inflation affected both players and consumers. Additionally, growth inflated by the pandemic and home consumption resulted…

Although in general Spanish consumers reduced the frequency of their shopping trips in 2022, opting for a more planned purchases, there was no major drop in the consumption of cheese. Cheese is considered a staple in the Spanish diet and as such…

Cheese saw modest growth in retail volume terms in 2023, in contrast to the flat performance of the previous year. While inflationary pressures, driven by surging energy and food prices, receded slightly, demand was constrained by a loss of…

The price of cheese in Italy has risen considerably towards the end of the review period. Higher pricing has been affected by several factors. The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic crisis, its aftermath, and the outbreak of war in Ukraine have had…

Across the review period, innovation was strong on the cheese category. Until recently, Greek law mandated the pasteurisation of milk for health reasons. However, a new legislation framework across the review period allowed cheese production from raw…

Inflation has had a noticeable impact on demand for cheese in Germany, prompting consumers to substitute higher-priced cheese varieties with cheaper alternatives. After a price increase of more than 20% since the first quarter of 2022, consumers are…

Cheese in France has experienced mixed fortunes in 2022 and 2023 following an upturn in demand during pandemic-related home seclusion in 2020. Price rises across the board are resulting in retail volume declines for many types. The notable exceptions…

Cheese received a boost in current retail value sales when COVID-19 pandemic restrictions hit Finland, with consumers bulk buying cheese for home use. In 2023, as in 2022, sales continued to normalise; nonetheless, cooking and snacking at home…

Butter and spreads continues to face substantial challenges in 2023 as the supply chain remains unstable, milk prices fluctuate, and labour remains an issue. Indeed, as feed and fertiliser prices that plateaued in September 2022 remain extremely…

Butter and spreads witnessed among the highest unit price growth in dairy in 2022 resulting in the category seeing double-digit growth in current value terms. However, sales plummeted in retail volume terms in 2022, even more significantly than in…

Retail volume sales of butter and spreads remained static in 2023. Demand for such products experienced an upturn during the pandemic, when people spent more time cooking and baking at home. Butter and spreads are particularly likely to be used at…

During the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, consumers found or rediscovered a passion for cooking/baking and the demand for quality, but also traditional, butter increased. Thus, COVID-19 in Italy saw demand increase strongly as consumers stocked up…

Due to the increase in price points, general inflation, and consumers' lower disposable incomes, the demand for butter has decreased. Consumers have looked to make butter last longer, to purchase cheaper varieties or simply remove the product from…

Butter has long been a staple dairy ingredient in German cuisine, with a rich history and cultural significance. After two years of pandemic-driven home seclusion, which benefited the consumption of butter as cooking and baking were adopted as…

Butter benefited from the first year of home seclusion during the pandemic, with retail sales climbing as consumers cooked and baked more frequently at home. While retail volume sales continue to decline in 2023 following a notable drop the previous…

The consumption of butter and spreads continues to normalise in 2023, following the heightened demand witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Finns cooked and ate more at home. In addition, unit prices increased in 2022 and continued to do so at…

Baby food continues to recover from the pandemic-related disruptions observed in 2020. Retail volume growth is evident across milk formula and other baby food categories as busy local parents have less time to prepare food at home, and demand safe…

A low birth rate is behind the continuing decline of baby food sales in Spain in 2023. Spain’s birth rate is being negatively affected by economic challenges and changes in social and cultural norms. Traditional expectations of having a large family…

Retail volume sales of baby food saw modest growth in 2023, continuing the trend of the previous year. Demand for milk formula in Portugal is strongly dependant on professional guidance. Consumers first make contact with medical professionals at the…

Baby food is significantly affected by a high inflation rate in 2022 and 2023. The upturn in the inflation rate, which gained momentum in March 2022 and in subsequent months, is, however, on the downturn in 2023. The rush of Italian consumers to…