Dairy products and alternatives in 2025: The big picture
The performance of dairy products and alternatives in Belgium has been affected by unit price rises in 2025. These price rises are in part related to the fièvre catarrhale ovine (bluetongue virus) which has affected livestock and thus milk production, while having a domino effect on all dairy-based categories. This factor, coupled with the context of high prices overall, and with the relatively high pressure on purchasing power, has put pressure on volume sales across most categories. As a result of these unit price rise, the dairy sector overall scored slight value growth.
Key trends in 2025
High protein has remained the most dynamic health and wellness claim in dairy products and alternatives in 2025. While high protein products were already popular in drinking yoghurt, thanks to the development of Danone’s Hipro range in 2024, high protein products have started to enter new categories in 2025 as the demand for high protein diets has risen. For example, in 2025 Nestlé Belgilux launched its Lindahls Protein range which includes drinking yoghurt, chilled dairy desserts, fromage frais and quark, hard cheese, and soft cheese). Similarly, Delhaize extended its Delhaize Protein range, while popular chocolate-flavoured milk drinks brand Cécémel introduced its new protein version during spring of 2025.
Competitive Landscape
Dairy products and alternatives remains a highly fragmented market in 2025. Danone NV/SA remains the overall leader in retail value terms, slightly ahead of private label producers Delhaize, Colruyt and Carrefour. Danone’s presence encompasses several dairy categories and its products are widely available across all key retail channels. The company has been active with new launches in 2024 and 2025, such as Actimel Triple Action, featuring vitamins D, B6 et C and magnesium; Hipro featuring a high protein content, vitamin B9 and magnesium; and new flavours for its Activia Fibers range. Despite such activity, Danone has seen only moderate growth in current value terms in 2025. This is partly due to the strong competition coming from private label producers (such as Delhaize), who are able to offer high quality products at more affordable prices.
Channel developments
Supermarkets remains the leading distribution channel in 2025. However, the channel has lost share to both convenience retailers and discounters, Indeed, driven by busy lifestyles, some consumers have turned to purchasing some of their dairy products and alternatives from convenience stores. On the other hand, discounters have expanded their cheese ranges, especially in terms of private label, while these stores also offer lower prices, which has helped the channel to win share at the expenses of supermarkets.
What next for dairy products and alternatives?
Declining prices and waning pressure on purchasing power should boost volume sales of dairy products and alternatives over the forecast period, although price drops could limit growth opportunities in value terms (at constant 2025 prices). Plant-based dairy should remain a key growth generator, backed by significant investment in innovation and the positive positioning of these products in terms of health and wellness, sustainability, and animal welfare. Within dairy, cheese and drinking milk products could see volume growth restrained by the high level of maturity of these categories.
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Overview:
Understand the latest market trends and future growth opportunities for the Dairy Products and Alternatives industry in Belgium with research from Euromonitor International's team of in-country analysts – experts by industry and geographic specialisation.
Key trends are clearly and succinctly summarised alongside the most current research data available. Understand and assess competitive threats and plan corporate strategy with our qualitative analysis, insight and confident growth projections.
Data and analysis in this report provides further detailed coverage dedicated to a comprehensive range of core packaged food categories.
If you're in the Dairy Products and Alternatives industry in Belgium, our research will help you to make informed, intelligent decisions; to recognise and profit from opportunity, or to offer resilience amidst market uncertainty.
The Dairy Products and Alternatives in Belgium report includes:
- Analysis of key supply-side and demand trends
- Detailed segmentation of international and local products
- Historic volume and value sizes, company and brand market shares
- Five year forecasts of market trends and market growth
- Robust and transparent research methodology, conducted in-country
This report answers:
- What is the market size of Dairy Products and Alternatives in Belgium?
- Which are the leading brands in Dairy Products and Alternatives in Belgium?
- How are products distributed in Dairy Products and Alternatives in Belgium?
- How is the rise of e-commerce and/or the expansion of modern grocery retail impacting traditional retail?
- What are the key health and wellness concerns driving, or challenging, sales in Dairy Products and Alternatives?
- How significant are vegan and vegetarian dietary requirements in determining sales growth in Belgium?
- How has COVID-19 impacted consumer demand? To what extent have lockdown, home seclusion and stockpiling boosted sales? Will the longer term economic repercussions of the pandemic stimulate or suppress future growth?
- Where is future growth expected to be most dynamic?
- How significant will values-based claims, such as sustainability and ethical labelling, be in supporting future growth and brand equity?
Dairy Products and Alternatives in Belgium
Dairy products and alternatives in 2025: The big picture
Key trends in 2025
Competitive Landscape
Channel developments
What next for dairy products and alternatives?
DISCLAIMER
Baby Food in Belgium
KEY DATA FINDINGS
A challenging year for baby food but positives remain
Strongest performances seen in other baby food and prepared baby food
Convenience is important for new parents when shopping for baby food
Declining birth rates could push players to target older children
Improving economy should encourage consumers to trade up
Milk formula could benefit from premiumisation as incomes rise
Butter and Spreads in Belgium
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Health and wellness trend puts pressure on volume sales
Consumers switching to private label to make savings
Price is a key factor that is informing the distribution landscape
Sales could struggle for growth due to shift to heathier eating habits
Functional claims set to influence margarine and spreads while butter targets the premium segment
Improvement in the economy could see consumers eating out more
Cheese in Belgium
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Volume sales stall but soft cheese remains a standout performer
Competition continues to intensify as brands and private label go head to head
Supermarkets benefit from broad offering
Volume sales set to grow but only at a modest pace
Innovation expected to focus on high protein products
Plant-based cheese offering a healthier and more sustainable alternative
Drinking Milk Products in Belgium
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Volume sales under pressure as prices rise
Private label the big winner in 2025
Convenience stores look to win share by tapping into on-the-go purchasing behaviour
Cow’s milk sales likely to remain under pressure
Natural, organic and high protein claims likely to find favour
Plant-based milk likely to provide increasing competition
Yoghurt and Sour Milk Products in Belgium
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Mixed outlook for yoghurt in 2025
Danone remains on top while Yakult delivers a strong performance
Supermarkets and discounters lead distribution but e-commerce sees strong gains
Drinking yoghurt set to be the standout performer
Health and wellness claims set to remain the focus of innovation
Competition expected to intensify
Other Dairy in Belgium
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Search for indulgence helps fuel growth
Danone leads but faces increasing competition from private label
Supermarkets remain dominant in other dairy
Disappointing outlook for other dairy despite improving economy
High protein claims set to be the focus of innovation
Cream sales unlikely to recover
Plant-Based Dairy in Belgium
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Plant-based dairy on the rise with plant-based cheese the focus of innovation
Alpro dominates but suffers from absence from the most dynamic categories
Health and wellness priorities and new EU regulation set to influence demand
High protein claims expected to become a feature of plant-based dairy
Other plant-based milk showing room for expansion
The following categories and subcategories are included:
Dairy Products and Alternatives
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- Dried Baby Food
- Prepared Baby Food
- Other Baby Food
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- Liquid Standard Milk Formula
- Powder Standard Milk Formula
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- Liquid Follow-on Milk Formula
- Powder Follow-on Milk Formula
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- Liquid Growing-Up Milk Formula
- Powder Growing-Up Milk Formula
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- Liquid Special Baby Milk Formula
- Powder Special Baby Milk Formula
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- Butter
- Cooking Fats
- Margarine and Spreads
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- Spreadable Cheese
- Processed Cheese excl Spreadable
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- Packaged Hard Cheese
- Unpackaged Hard Cheese
- Soft Cheese
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- Dairy Only Flavoured Milk Drinks
- Flavoured Milk Drinks with Fruit Juice
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- Fat-free Fresh Milk
- Semi Skimmed Fresh Milk
- Full Fat Fresh Milk
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- Fat-free Shelf Stable Milk
- Semi Skimmed Shelf Stable Milk
- Full Fat Shelf Stable Milk
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- Goat Milk
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- Powder Milk
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- Sour Milk Products
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- Drinking Yoghurt
- Flavoured Yoghurt
- Plain Yoghurt
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- Chilled Dairy Desserts
- Shelf Stable Dairy Desserts
- Chilled Snacks
- Coffee Whiteners
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- Flavoured Condensed Milk
- Plain Condensed Milk
- Evaporated Milk
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- Cream
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- Flavoured Fromage Frais and Quark
- Plain Fromage Frais and Quark
- Savoury Fromage Frais and Quark
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- Soy Drinks
- Other Plant-based Milk
- Plant-based Yoghurt
- Plant-based Cheese
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This report originates from Passport, our Dairy Products and Alternatives research and analysis database.
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