Cheddar cheese sales increase by 3.6% in 2007

Cheddar cheese sales in Britain totaled 201,160 tonnes in the 52 weeks ending 2 December 2007, an increase of 3.6% on the previous year, according to TNS data from the Milk Development Council (MDC).

This growth is largely due to the combined increase in sales of mature and extra mature cheddar cheese which rose 6.8% year on year. However, sales of mild and medium varieties fell by 1.7% and 4.3% respectively.

Studying the wider market, retail sales of cheese in Britain totaled 376,009 tonnes for the same period, an increase of 11,000 tonnes (3.1%) compared with the previous year.

Huw Thomas, head of market information at the MDC, says: "Increases in cheddar sales contributed significantly to the increase in the total cheese market in 2007 with mature and extra mature cheddar performing particularly well. The mature and extra mature cheddar market includes brands such as Cathedral City and Seriously Strong, and significant promotional activity was carried out in this sector during 2007, including multibuy offers."