Retail Details: How Much Cheese do Americans Eat?

Retail is important to economies around the world, and this edition of Retail Details has some interesting stats from the United Kingdom and Canada to prove it. We’ve also got some fun trivia about American retail, including some jaw-dropping stats on how much cheese Americans buy each year.

Did you know that retail jobs boost state economies in a big way? South Dakota is a case in point: According to the National Retail Federation, 30 percent of South Dakota’s labor force is supported by the retail industry.

Did you know that retail is also big business in the United Kingdom? According to RetailEconomics.com, retail businesses in the United Kingdom the industry employed more than 2.8 million people last year. Also in 2015, the U.K. had close to 300,000 retail outlets.

Did you know that the market for food and drink in Canada is growing? Statista reports that retail sales at food and beverage stores in Canada are expected to be more than $117 billion (Canadian dollars) per year by 2019.

Did you know that Americans love their cheese? In 2015, over $17 billion in specialty and packaged cheese was sold in the United States, according to a press release issued by Packaged Facts. Further driving growth is the continued expansion of mass retailers’ own private-label brands to include natural and specialty cheeses.  Private-label store brands are a major market driver, accounting for over 40 percent of dollar sales. 

Did you know that Americans are becoming more aware of packaged meat quality? In another report by Packaged Facts, over half of survey respondents indicated that they were willing to pay more for packaged meat that they perceived as healthier.

Did you know that Brooklyn has become one of the hottest shopping destinations in the country? According to Bisnow.com, out of the top-10 shopping corridors in the U.S., three are located in Brooklyn, New York.