Germans Eat More Cheese While Cutting Back on Butter

Bonn, Germany – Dairy products remain a staple in German households, but recent data reveals a shift in consumer preferences: while cheese consumption has climbed, butter sales have taken a slight dip. Economic considerations, including rising prices, may be influencing these changing habits.

According to the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food, per capita cheese consumption in Germany increased by one kilogram in 2024 compared to the previous year, reaching an average of 25.4 kilograms. This uptick in demand was mirrored in domestic production, which rose from 2.66 million tons to 2.74 million tons.

At the same time, Germans appear to have reduced their butter intake. The average person consumed 5.3 kilograms of butter in 2024 — about one 250-gram package less than in 2023. Butter production, which includes milk fat and spreadable dairy products, saw a slight decrease, falling to approximately 473,400 tons based on preliminary figures.

To put this into perspective, producing a single pack of butter requires roughly five kilograms of milk. However, 2024 was marked by significant price hikes in the butter segment. In October, the lowest price for a package of German-brand butter hit €2.39 — an all-time high. Experts attribute this surge to lower milk supply from farmers and reduced fat content in raw milk. Fortunately for consumers, butter prices have been on the decline since early February.

Milk deliveries from farmers to dairy processors also saw a drop. According to the Federal Information Center for Agriculture, the total volume of milk delivered to dairies decreased by 118,000 tons, settling at 31.3 million tons for the year. The bluetongue disease affecting cattle was one of the contributing factors behind this decline.

The production of drinking milk fell for the fourth consecutive year, reaching 4.1 million tons. Nevertheless, per capita consumption remained steady at 46.2 kilograms.

Farmers received slightly better prices for their milk in 2024. Conventional milk brought in an average of 48.14 cents per kilogram — nearly 3 cents more than in 2023. Organic milk commanded an even higher price, with farmers earning 58.03 cents per kilogram.

Meanwhile, structural changes in the dairy sector continue. The number of dairy cows fell by 123,000, bringing the national total to just under 3.6 million animals. The number of farms engaged in dairy production also declined by 3.8 percent, with only 48,649 farms remaining in operation.

These figures suggest a clear shift in German dietary preferences and agricultural dynamics. Cheese remains a growing favorite, while butter — perhaps due to price sensitivities — is losing some ground. All the while, the overall dairy sector faces challenges in both production and livestock management.