EU dairy recovering from COVID-19

fairlife® ultra-filtered milk

fairlife® Whole Ultra-Filtered Milk is said to be deliciously creamy and full flavoured whilst offering consumers 50% more protein and 50% less sugar when compared to regular milk.30

Source: Fairlife 30

Some consumers turn to plant alternatives for a lactose-free option, leading some dairy companies to expand their lactose-free offerings. European dairy launches carrying a lactose-free claim have tripled since 2011, according to Mintel.31 ‘Easy to digest’ has been a key positioning for such products, to broaden its appeal beyond those consumers who are lactose intolerant.32

The dairy sector was hard-hit by COVID-19, with the closure of foodservice and restaurants. However, EU figures show that retail sales and exports have since made up for earlier losses, and dairy prices remained stable during 2020 overall, despite an initial drop due to the outbreak.33 Considering its importance as an importer of EU dairy products, China’s success in controlling the spread of the virus was instrumental for European recovery as the country reopened.

“In 2021, adjustments of some distribution channels (e.g. e-commerce, takeaways) are expected to support the recovery of dairy consumption,” predicts a recent report from the European Commission, DG Agriculture and Rural Development.34