Fluid Milk Sales & Consumption Summary
Continuing a long term trend, per capita consumption of fluid milk products declined in 2010 by 2.1 pounds or 0.24 gallons. The 177.9 pounds (20.69 gallons) of fluid milk products consumed in 2010 was the lowest level of per
capita consumption on record.
The largest year-to-year declines were for whole and reduced fat white milk; per capita consumption of whole white milk fell by 3.1 pounds to a record low of 45.9 pounds, while reduced fat white milk fell to 60.3 pounds, the lowest level since 2002. Meanwhile, per capita consumption of lowfat white milk increased to 23.5 pounds, a new record high. Nonfat white milk per capita consumption remained the same at 26.8 pounds as did per capita consumption of flavored milk at 13.7 pounds.
Per capita consumption of fluid cream products like half-and-half, light cream and heavy cream fell for the third consecutive year in 2010 to 7.57 pounds. Sour cream consumption per person increased slightly in 2010 to 4.18 pounds but remained below the record level set in 2005. Cottage cheese per capita consumption also fell in 2010 to 2.36 pounds, the lowest level on record.
Most of the fluid milk products sold at retail supermarkets in the U.S. are in gallon containers, although the total volume sold in that size container fell in 2010 by 2.8%. Retail supermarket volume sales of fluid milk in half-gallon containers also fell in 2010 (down 4.7%), while volume sales of fluid milks in quarts (up 5.6%) and half pints (up 4.1%) increased.
