Deconstructing demand for dairy: Comparing dairy consumption and production in the Nordics

Abstract

This paper examines the Nordic dairy sector through a comparative, historical, and STS-informed analysis of milk production and consumption in Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Sweden. While the region shares cultural and institutional similarities, it also shows differences in per capita milk consumption, downstream product segmentation, and industry structure. Through the lens of systems of provision, we explore how social, technological, and institutional configurations continue to shape dairy’s central role in Nordic food systems—despite growing concerns about its environmental and ethical implications.

We argue that milk’s enduring presence in some Nordic countries is not a result of cultural necessity, but of historically entrenched cooperative models, state subsidies, public health narratives, and corporate consolidation. Given the nuances in dairy consumption and production across the Nordic countries, a comparative perspective deepens understanding of the factors that enable or hinder changes in how demand fluctuates. Such questioning of demand informs a strong sustainability perspective, as requested in this special issue. Our analysis highlights how dairy’s core biophysical inefficiency—converting water, feed, and energy into milk, not intended for human consumption in the first place—is obscured by narratives of innovation and value creation, whereas production intensification and product diversification do not inherently yield sustainability gains.

Positioning social science and humanities (SSH) at the centre of sustainability transformations, the paper underscores the importance of cultural, institutional, and historical perspectives in challenging assumptions about “efficiency” and “progress” in agri-food systems. Institutional interventions such as school milk programs and dietary guidelines illustrate the political nature of consumption patterns and the potential of SSH to uncover and question path dependencies. In doing so, the paper contributes to ongoing debates about how Nordic societies might move toward more genuinely sustainable and equitable food futures.