As inflation on dairy products rises to a new high, demand for certain cheeses has fallen over the past year, according to data compiled by food labelling consultants Ashbury.
Food prices rose at the second highest rate in 45 years according to the Office for National Statistics, with dairy products such as cheese experiencing particularly sharp rises. For example, a kilogram of cheddar cheese costs £3 per kg more than it did a year ago, now costing £9.40 per kg, up from £6.40 per kg in April 2022.
Research by Ashbury suggests shoppers are “shunning the strong stuff”, with consumers preferring milder varieties. The analysis is based on the average number of monthly online searches for cheese recipes in 2022 and 2023.
According to Ashbury, people are most likely to turn their nose up at Roquefort – which saw the biggest fall in recipe searches at around a third, along with Provolone. Parmesan was next on the list with 18% fewer searches compared to last year, followed by Munster, which declined by 12%.
Which cheeses are growing in popularity?
| Cheese | YoY Change |
|---|---|
| Swiss cheese | 49% |
| Cheddar | 23% |
| Gruyere | 22% |
| Mozzarella | 22% |
| Goat cheese | 22% |
Which cheeses saw declines in search rates?
| Cheese | YoY Change |
|---|---|
| Roquefort | -33% |
| Provolone | -33% |
| Parmesan | -18% |
| Camembert | -18% |
| Munster cheese | -12% |
Searches for Camembert-based recipes also dropped by 18%, even though the appetite for its milder cousin Brie remained the same. Other mild cheeses saw a jump in popularity – with Swiss cheese ranking top at 49%.
Despite the rising cost in supermarkets, demand for Cheddar cheese is higher than a year ago. The household staple saw a 23% uplift in searches, followed by Gruyere, Mozzarella and Goat cheese (all up by 22%).
Cathy Lane, senior regulatory advisor at Ashbury, said: “Our research shows how quickly tastes can change, especially as the cost of cheese and other dairy products continue to rise. Stinky cheeses seem to have taken a particular tumble.
“There could be any number of reasons why people seem to prefer milder varieties over stronger ones at the moment.
“Cheddar was weighing in at £9.40 per kilo in April this year compared to £6.40 for the same month in 2022. Even so, the jump in popularity revealed in our research could be down to cash-strapped households choosing a variety they know the whole family will enjoy, or which can be used across a number of different dishes.”
She added: “There’s no legal requirement for manufacturers and retailers to display how strong a cheese is on the packaging although most do because people want to know exactly what they’re eating. However, there are other strict regulations they must adhere to such as fat content and best before dates. Some cheeses, like Stilton and Yorkshire Wensleydale, have a protected designation of origin (PDO), so must meet specific criteria to carry the name.
“Regulations are changing all the time too. We see regular to-ing and fro-ing of plans to extend the legal protection of dairy terms like ‘cheese’ or ‘milk’ and restrict plant-based products being labelled as ‘vegan cheese’, ‘plant-based yoghurt’, ‘milk alternative’, or obviously misspelt products such as ‘mylk’. So far, none have stuck, but we cant rule it out in future.
“It’s therefore vital that food producers comply with the rules and display all relevant information to avoid misleading people.”
