Dairy retail performance – 8 August 2026

Cows’ milk

Milk volumes saw a 1.3% decline in volumes purchased year-on-year¹, while spend saw a 1.2% increase, driven by a 2.6% increase in average prices paid.

Declines were seen for semi-skimmed and skimmed. Whole milk continued to see volume growth, with a 1.4% increase year-on-year, this is due to more buyers and more litres per occasion purchased.

Cows’ cheese

Cow cheese remained in volume growth, seeing a 2.5% increase year-on-year¹. Spend grew by 0.6% during this period, benefitting from a 1.8% decrease in average prices.

Other cows’ cheese (+13.0%), specialty and continental (+4.1%), snacking (+3.5%) and processed (+1.1%) saw growth. This is particularly driven by cottage cheese which saw a 43% increase in volume. This growth offset declines in stilton and British blue, British regionals and cheddar. Cheddar saw a decrease of 839kg due to a decrease in buyers. Extra mature slices (-16.1%), reduced fat/functional (-12.7%) and grated mild (-11.6%) also saw large declines.

Cows’ butter 

Butter saw a 2.6% decrease in volumes purchased year-on-year¹. Spend saw a 6.7% decrease year on year, and average prices paid decreased by 4.2%.

Block butter continues to be the only subcategory to see volume growth (+1.8%), this growth is likely to be due to consumers wanting less ultra processed and more natural foods. However, this growth was not enough to offset the decline in cow butter spread volumes (-4.6%).

Cows’ yogurt, yogurt drinks and fromage frais 

Cows’ yogurt, yogurt drinks and fromage frais volumes continue to see growth (+7.1%), with spend increasing 9.3% year-on-year¹. This growth is due more kilos per occasion purchased. Averages prices paid grew 2.1%.

Cows’ standard plain yogurt (+19.7%), healthy (+15.1%) and fat free (+9.7%) were among the strongest performing subcategories.

Cows’ cream 

Cream volumes fell by 1.9% year-on-year, with a 2.5% increase in average prices paid, and a 0.5% increase in spend¹. Growth was seen in double (+1.3%) and whipping (+1.2%).

See the full data and these insights visualised on our GB household dairy purchases retail dashboard.

¹ NIQ Homescan POD, Total GB, 12 w/e 8 August 2026   

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