The fact that cheese is a key part of people's diets in Belgium is hardly a surprise, but nowhere is it more popular than in Wallonia.
Last year, 99.98% of people living in Wallonia bought a type of cheese at least once, according to data collected by the Consumer Observatory of the Walloon Agency for the Promotion of Quality Agriculture (Apaq-W), La Libre reported.
Additionally, 88% of French-speaking people (in Brussels and Wallonia) said they had eaten cheese in the last three months, making it the most widely consumed dairy product.
On average, people living in the south of Belgium consume 13.8 kilograms a year, compared with 12.3 kg in Brussels and a national average of 11.9 kg. While this amount may, at first glance, seem gigantic, it is in fact below the EU average.
According to La Libre, the European average is 19 kg per capita. Figures from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) showed that, between 2010 and 2019, 20.6 kg of cheese was consumed on average by people in the European Union. The OECD predicts that in the next decade (2020-2029) this figure will rise to 21.8 kg, putting the EU ahead of any other region in the world.
Most popular cheeses
In August, the Apaq-W Consumer Observatory looked at cheese consumption habits in Wallonia and Brussels. It found that hard cheese (such as Emmental and Gouda) was the clear winner in its most popular cheeses competition, with 84% of respondents voting for it.
It was followed by soft cheese with a bloomy rind, such as Brie, preferred by 70% of respondents. Fresh cheese came in third place (54%).
However, in Wallonia, seven out of ten consumers prefer cheeses made using traditional know-how, and many are attracted by local products. 51% of consumers also say they prefer cheeses made by small producers or by brands that are committed to respecting the work of artisans, while 48% believe that the cheese's origin is an important characteristic.
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The study also revealed that French-speaking Belgians prefer sliced cheese (77%), just ahead of block cheese (67%) and grated cheese (65%). More than eight out of ten consumers say they eat their cheese on bread.
Lunch and dinner are also the main times when cheese is eaten (59% and 51%, respectively), but many French-speaking people also enjoy eating it with an aperitif (45%).
While in Flanders there is a shift away from cheese and other dairy products, 6% of consumers in Wallonia and Brussels plan to increase their cheese consumption, compared to 2% who want to decrease it.
