A popular product, almost eight in 10 UK adults have eaten yogurt, a fifth doing so once a day or more. More than two in five eat fromage frais or drink yogurt drinks.

Spoonable yogurt continues to dominate the market with more than 90% of sales. Leading operators such as Danone cut back on both NPD (New Product Development) and above-the-line support in 2013, which was reflected in the lacklustre sales performance. Drinking yogurt saw a marked decline in 2013 following EFSA’s (European Food Safety Authority) rejection of the probiotic claim in December 2012. While this downward trend is expected to continue in 2014, it will likely be to a much lesser extent.

Sales in the overall yogurt and yogurt drinks market are estimated to have reached £2 billion and 665 million kg in 2014. Operators are unlikely to repeat the flurry of activity seen a couple of years ago and the market is struggling to recruit new users or encourage consumption around new usage occasions. The on-the-go occasion does, however, pose potential for growth: 50% of users/buyers of yogurt products agree with the statement ‘I would be interested in buying yogurts that are easier to eat out of home/on the go (eg stay fresher for longer, easy to carry)’.

Yogurt/yogurt drinks do, however, benefit from a healthy positioning, with three in four users agreeing that yogurt/yogurt drinks are a good way to get nutrients such as calcium or protein, while around two in five see the products as natural. Investment in low/no/reduced (L/N/R) sugar variants could find particular favour in this market, with 50% of yogurt products users/buyers agreeing that they worry about the sugar content in yogurts/yogurt drinks.

This report examines the UK retail market for yogurts and desserts, and excludes sales through catering or fast food establishments.

Yogurt includes spoonable yogurt, fromage frais and yogurt drinks. Functional fermented milk drinks such as Yakult are included in the report since cultures similar to those contained therein have now been introduced into products positioned as yogurt. Frozen yogurt is excluded from this market.

Value figures throughout this report are at retail selling prices (rsp) unless stated otherwise. Market sizes at constant 2014 prices are devised using Mintel’s food deflator.

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