Dairy retail performance – 4 October 2025

Cows’ milk volumes continued to decrease (-2.7%) year-on-year (NIQ, 52 w/e 4 October 2025), while spend increased (+1.1%) due to a 3.9% increase in average prices paid. Declines were seen for semi-skimmed and skimmed milk. Other cows’ milk and whole milk continued to see volume growth, the latter seeing a 2.3% increase year-on-year (26.5 million litres), due to an increase in shoppers. Other animal sourced milk also saw volume growth this period while plant-based milks saw decline.  

Cows’ cheese remained in volume growth, seeing a 1.6% increase, with spend up 5.3% year-on-year (NIQ, 52 w/e 4 October 2025). Cheddar, which represents a majority (45.2%) of all cow cheese volumes, saw a slight increase in volumes (+0.1%). Snacking (+2.5%), specialty and continental (+3.2%), and other cows’ cheese (+7.4%) also saw volume growth with cottage cheese driving growth within other cows’ cheese. This growth offset declines in British regionals, processed, and Stilton and British blue.

Cows’ butter saw a 2.3% decrease in volumes purchased. However, spend saw a 9.5% increase year on year, driven by a 12.1% increase in average prices paid (NIQ, 52 w/e 4 October 2025). Block butter continues to be the only subcategory to see volume growth (+5.5%), driven by increases in the number of shoppers and the frequency of purchase. However, this growth was not enough to offset the decline in cow butter spread volumes (-5.6%).

Cows’ yogurt, yogurt drinks and fromage frais volumes continued to experience growth this period (+6.3%), driven by an increase in shopper numbers and volumes purchased per buyer (NIQ, 52 w/e 4 October 2025). Most products in this category saw volume growth this period, with the exception of fromage frais (-8.1%) and standard flavoured yogurts (-5.5%). Cows’ standard plain yogurt saw the fastest growth of 25.7% year-on-year, while cows’ fat free yogurt remains the product that saw the greatest actual growth, seeing an additional 17 million kilos purchased year-on-year (+10.8%).

Cows’ cream volumes saw a 2.4% increase year-on-year, which combined with an 8.2% increase in average prices paid, resulted in a 10.7% increase in spend (NIQ, 52 w/e 4 October 2025). The increase in volume was driven by an increase in shopper numbers and volumes purchased per buyer. This was led by strong growth in double (+4.3%), sour cream (+3.9%), and aerosol (+2.1%), which offset the declines in other categories.

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

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