Dairy products and alternatives in 2025: The big picture
In 2025, value sales of dairy products and alternatives in France continued to rise in current terms, driven by several key factors. Dairy products remain a staple in French cuisine, with regional and local variants significantly influencing consumers’ purchasing decisions. The cultural heritage and traditions surrounding dairy products in France played a crucial role in sustaining high cheese consumption in 2025, which ranks among the highest per capita globally. Consumer demand for functional dairy products, particularly those with high protein content, further contributed to growth.
Key trends in 2025
Plant-based dairy in France maintained its growth trajectory in 2025, driven by an increasing number of consumers following a flexitarian diet, and a desire to diversify protein sources. Soy milk, known for its higher protein content than cow’s milk, performed well, as did oat milk, which benefited from its locally grown status. Plant-based cheese also saw double-digit growth, albeit remaining a niche category. The exit of a significant manufacturer from plant-based cheese in 2025, Fromageries Bel with its Nurishh brand, created opportunities for new entrants and offers potential for consolidation.
Competitive landscape
Groupe Lactalis was the leading company in dairy products and alternatives in France in 2025, and the only one to hold a double-digit retail value share. This position was bolstered by its extensive portfolio of well-known brands, which include Président, Lactel, Leerdammer, and Société. In 2025, the industry was characterised by the dominance of milk cooperatives, including Lactalis and Savencia, and large French multinationals, such as Danone. International companies, like Nestlé, also maintained a presence in the market, although Nestlé recently withdrew from baby food, with the exception of milk formula.
Channel developments
In 2025, mainstream grocery retailers such as supermarkets and hypermarkets continued to dominate the distribution of dairy products and alternatives in France, although their combined share experienced another year of gradual decline. Negative publicity regarding supermarkets’ treatment of French agriculturists contributed to the decline in their share. However, this trend was partially offset by the strong consumer preference for private label products, which helped maintain high sales for these retail channels.
What next for dairy products and alternatives?
Dairy products and alternatives in France is forecast to experience retail current value growth across all the major categories in the forecast period. In dairy, consumer loyalty to traditional French products will persist alongside the adoption of more international options, although volumes are expected to be stable to declining. The industry will face several challenges, including elevated energy prices, rising costs for animal feed, and the adverse effects of climate change on milk yields. These factors are anticipated to result in ongoing price increases and variability in annual milk production volumes.
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Overview:
Understand the latest market trends and future growth opportunities for the Dairy Products and Alternatives industry in France 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 France, 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 France 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 France?
- Which are the leading brands in Dairy Products and Alternatives in France?
- How are products distributed in Dairy Products and Alternatives in France?
- 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 France?
- 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 France
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 France
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Falling birth rate impacts sales, but milk formula maintains its growth trend
While Blédina maintains its lead, smaller organic brands see stronger performances
Grocery retailers dominate, but retail e-commerce and pharmacies see rising shares
Despite the expectation of low current value growth, the falling birth rate will prompt continued volume decline
Distribution shift likely as more consumers try out discount retailers, although trust will need to be established
Opportunities will remain for organic products, particularly those with French ingredients
Butter and Spreads in France
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Butter remains the most popular category and drives growth
Groupe Lactalis maintains its lead, while Sill Entreprises sees dynamism
Convenience stores sees a rising trend, while retail e-commerce fails to gain further traction
Butter will remain the main growth driver
Consumer demand for convenience likely to impact products and distribution
Sustainable practices expected in manufacturing and packaging
Cheese in France
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Value growth continues for cheese, driven by hard cheese
Private label holds a significant and rising share, as consumer trust is high
Easy accessibility drives growth for convenience stores and small local grocers
Players will need to adapt to changing consumer preferences to sustain growth
High-protein claims set to become more important moving forward
Manufacturers will continue to cater to the consumption patterns of the younger generation
Drinking Milk Products in France
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Milk faces challenges to growth, but children still enjoy flavoured milk drinks
Private label maintains growth, but milk brands ensuring a fair price for farmers also perform well, squeezing the leaders
Retail e-commerce maintains its rising trend as most sales of milk are shelf stable
A stronger move towards more responsible and sustainable brands anticipated
Functional and lactose-free milk likely to perform well
Environmentally-friendly packaging, and potential impact from EU directive
Yoghurt and Sour Milk Products in France
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Plain yoghurt performs particularly well, perceived as a healthier option
New launches contribute to growth; Danone maintains its leading position
Convenience stores sees the strongest growth, but larger modern grocery formats maintain their dominance
Plain yoghurt set to continue to drive growth, although flavoured yoghurt will remain dominant
High protein and gut health likely to be sought-after in yoghurt and sour milk products
Reformulation likely in light of new Nutriscore criteria
Other Dairy in France
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Growth for cream and fromage frais and quark prevents retail volume decline
Danone maintains its lead, but the private label share continues to grow
Although supermarkets and hypermarkets dominate, smaller channels perform better
Cream set to maintain solid growth, but condensed and evaporated milk is considered outdated
Trend towards other dairy products offering enhanced functionality
Packaging expected to become more sustainable
Plant-Based Dairy in France
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Other plant-based milk continues to dominate but all categories see growth
Smaller companies see significant developments, but Bjorg maintains its lead
Organic supermarkets offer a wide product range, while retail e-commerce maintains its rising trend
Growth anticipated for plant-based cheese, but changes in the competitive landscape will be seen
Appealing to flexitarians with a good tastes, sustainability, and local production
Recent and new launches set to shape plant-based cheese
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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