Focus On Yoghurts & Potted Desserts: 12 April

By Vince Bamford (vjbamford@googlemail.com)

Publishing: 12 April 2025

Advertising deadline: 28 March 2025

Submissions deadline: 25 March 2025

Print, digital and sponsorship opportunities

Yoghurt is booming. Sales have surged by 7.9% to £2.6bn on solid unit growth of 5.5% and eight of the category’s ten biggest brands have shifted more packs in the past year [NIQ 52 w/e 25 January 2025]. Potted dessert brands are having similar success, with seven of the top ten brands achieving unit growth despite an overall decline in packs sold at category level. Closer inspection of sales data reveals that full fat yoghurts made with whole milk are contributing much to the growth, while diet products are in decline. Why is this? To what extent have attitudes to dairy products’ natural fat, protein, calcium, vitamin and mineral content changed in light of growing concern over ultra-processed foods? And how are brands and retailers marketing yoghurts and potted desserts in light of this?

Health v indulgence: Central to this feature will be an exploration of how concepts of healthy eating are changing and how this is impacting the yoghurts and potted desserts category. Why are low fat yoghurts in decline? How positively or negatively is fat viewed by consumers? What about yoghurt’s calcium, vitamin and protein content?

Brands v own-label: This feature will explore how the balance between brands and own-label has changed over the past year. Which retailers have been pushing own label products the most in the past year and how are brands fighting back? How do they compare on price, product quality and the like?

Marketing: We will also be looking at how the big brands are using their marketing budgets to convince shoppers to continue putting yoghurts and potted desserts in their baskets. How reliant are they on celebrity endorsements, primetime TV ads and digital? And how can challengers with shallower pockets cut through the noise?

Retail share: This feature will explore how different retailers are managing the category in terms of ranging, promotions and balancing brands and own label product assortments. How are brands working with retailers to create excitement in the fixture? Which retailers are in strongest growth and why?

Innovation: The past year has seen plenty of innovation in yoghurts and potted desserts. This feature will explore the latest trends and how this is playing out in terms of product innovation. We will profile four new products or ranges, ideally ones that have not