Cheese sales are being boosted by viral TikTok trends

Research has revealed that British consumers have extended their love of cheese, developing a taste for new artisan products and finding new ways to enjoy the household staple.

In some cases, viral trends on TikTok have boosted varieties to their highest level of sales in 40 years.

Some 80 per cent of shoppers enjoy cheese as a weekly household staple, and cheddar remains the nation’s favourite variety – with 69 per cent having enjoyed it in the last three months.

However, innovative artisan producers have shown that there are other routes for growth in the market – with speciality cheeses enjoying a popularity boom that has translated to a 12 per cent rise in sales across all British grocery channels.

The soft cheese retail market has also experienced some interesting trends, as a decades-old favourite has returned to prominence.

Svetlana Kukharchuk, owner of award-winning shop The Cheese Lady, on Haddington’s Court Street, highlighted the power of social media in drawing public attention to British cheeses.

Svetlana Kukharchuk has seen a rise in demand for artisan cheeses at her shop, The Cheese Lady, on Haddington’s Court Street

She said: “Social media has definitely helped to spread the word about artisan cheeses, helping people to find new varieties and new ways to use cheese.

“As a result of this, and the quality of product that British producers have developed, our cheeses are now very sought after and admired. That’s been a noticeable change, in a market where other countries have long enjoyed a reputation for superior cheese.

“Demand and interest in farmhouse and artisan cheeses has been strong for many years and, as a result, there are now more varieties of cheese produced in Britain than in France, fuelling the sales boom.

“Scotland is producing more cheese now, but there is the opportunity to do even more.”

The Knowledge Bank is behind the latest research, which shows cottage cheese has had a surge in popularity among younger people.

TikTok and Instagram users have transformed the product into cookies and ice cream.

Anne-Laure Farrar, UK market insight manager from The Knowledge Bank, said: “The importance of viral trends cannot not be denied, and witnessing some varieties blow up in popularity thanks to TikTok and Instagram is brilliant as it can breathe new life into long-established products which have been able to capture a new audience.”