Western Europe

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…

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…

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…

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…

2023 saw more stability in the average unit price of butter after steep unit price increases during 2022, which was a particularly challenging year for category players as they battled with rising production and distribution costs at a time of high…

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…

Butter and spreads in Norway continues to contract in terms of retail volume sales in 2023, with the decline driven in part by the societal return to pre-pandemic patterns and behaviour. As Norwegians embrace outdoor activities anew and reduce their…

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…

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…

As Swedes spent more time outside homes and ate out more, the elevated need for butter and spreads, as witnessed during the pandemic, was normalised. Nonetheless, while the demand declined, the unit prices increased due to inflation and growing…

Butter and spreads posted a slight decline in 2023, with health and wellness trends continuing to negatively impact the performance, with the strong competition from healthier variants like olive oil dampening sales. Swiss consumers are increasingly…

In 2023 butter and spreads in the Netherlands is facing a rise in average unit prices, albeit at a moderated pace when compared to the previous year, 2022, with a notable deficit of milk fat in the global markets underpinning the price hikes for…

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…

In 2023, overall retail volume sales of butter and spreads are projected to see positive growth, albeit driven by the performance of margarine and spreads. Conversely, there is expected to be a drop in retail volume sales of butter, as well as a…

Austria is a country with a strong tradition of cheese-making, and the consumption of a wide range of cheese remains very popular in the country, leading cheese to account for the largest share of value sales within overall dairy products and…

Cheese is a strongly rooted, highly mature category in Belgium with it forming the basis of many meals and dishes. Following the strong growth during the peak of the pandemic, demand for cheese declined strongly both in 2021 and 2022. This was due to…

Cheese retail prices have started to fall in 2023, following the sharp spike in the previous year, leading to a slight recovery in retail volume sales. Dairy leader Arla Foods has begun to lower prices, with supermarkets and competitors following its…

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…

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…

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…