Last year, Belgians increased their consumption of dairy products at home, with both the value (+3%) and volume (+4%) of consumption rising.
According to YouGov Belgium, commissioned by the Flemish Centre for Agricultural and Fisheries Marketing (VLAM), plant-based alternatives also saw a slight increase but remain minor compared to traditional dairy.
On an average day in 2024, 72% of Belgians consumed at least one dairy product, primarily milk, cheese, butter, and yoghurt.
White milk remained the most popular dairy product, with an average home consumption of 33 litres per person. Cheese consumption stayed stable at 12 kilograms per person.
Yoghurt (10 litres per person), cream (2.2 litres), butter (1.5 kilograms), desserts (3.7 kilograms), and ice cream (4.8 litres) all saw an increase in home consumption, while white cheese dropped further to 2.4 kilograms.
Plant-based dairy alternatives are still gaining traction. In 2024, 16% of Belgians consumed a plant-based dairy alternative, mainly margarine and plant-based drinks.
Consumption of plant-based drinks rose for the second consecutive year, from 3.1 litres per person in 2023 to 3.3 litres in 2024 (+8%). Nevertheless, milk and milk drinks continue to dominate the market.
Last year, 42% of Belgian households purchased a plant-based drink at least once.
