Liquid milk sales rise in volume but fall in value

Total retail milk sales increased by 2.2% in the year to 17 April, but a 4.6p/litre drop in retail prices meant turnover actually fell by 4.7% to £3.3bn.

“Most retailers held prices for single purchases of own-label milk since last month, with Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Asda all continuing to charge £1.25 for a four-pints pack,” says DairyCo’s latest report. “Promotional prices are still available on multi-buy purchases, making the average price lower still. Volume sales for pasteurised milk have increased as a result of these promotions, but at the expense of value sales, which have dropped by 4.7% in the past year.”

Analyst Kantar Worldpanel says doorstep sales dropped by 12.6% in volume, or 11% (£29.9m) in value in the year to April, accounting for 4.6% of the total milk sold. Filtered milk sales continued to grow, albeit at a slower rate of 4.7% last year, to 342m litres. Organic milk sales dropped by 4.9% (8m litres) in volume terms and by 5.1% (£6.9m) in value. Jersey and Guernsey milk sales grew by 12.6%, to 8.9m litres.