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Butter consumption is on the rise for the first time since the 1960s. Butter sales have surged by nearly a quarter compared to last year, and by a third in the province of Uusimaa.

Behind new eating habits is a wider change in perception regarding health, as well as the desire to pursue a diet of more authentic and natural ingredients. The increased appeal of low-carbohydrate diets has also added to butter consumption.

Currently, a Finn eats on average three kilos of butter per year.

A new trend

Reima Luomala, Vice President for Butter, Spreads and Ingredients at the Finnish dairy industry giant Valio, is familiar with the phenomenon.

“Fat consumption as such has not gone up, but there happened a clear shift from margarines to butter and butter- vegetable oil mixtures, like Oivariini.”

Valio and Finland’s second-largest dairy producer Ingman agree on the reasons for this change in attitude.

“It is indeed a natural food which is now a hot topic. People are very interested in it. Also, the harmfulness of butter has long been questioned by the media,” says National Category Manager Nnenna Liljeroos from Ingman.