The dairy industry is investing heavily in the green transition. But consumers’ willingness to pay is declining, and the direct link between green initiatives and higher sales prices is hard to find. So what value does sustainability actually create?

For many working in the dairy industry, the question is familiar: we invest in climate plans, new feed technologies, energy optimisation and sustainable packaging – but are customers actually willing to pay for it? According to new figures, the answer is increasingly no, at least not directly. The share of Danish consumers willing to pay more for sustainable products has fallen from 74 to 64 percent in three years. In the supermarket, taste and price beat carbon footprint.

Sustainability as a ticket to the market – not a pricing strategy
An analysis from The Danish Industry Foundation, examining 366 Danish companies, points to a more nuanced picture. Sustainable investments do not necessarily create higher selling prices – but they do create better access to markets and customers, lower risk in the value chain and easier access to capital. In many European and global procurement organisations, climate documentation and responsible production are simply becoming a requirement to remain a supplier. Thise Dairy is an example of that. There, sustainability is not a marketing layer on top of the product – it is the very foundation for how the dairy is run, what raw materials are used and what appears on the label. For Sales and Marketing Director Petter Aagesen, the question of whether sustainability “pays off” is almost the wrong question – it is about what kind of company you want to be. Read the full analysis and case study in Danish Dairy & Food Industry 2026.

By Maja Løvstrup
Photo: Mejeriforeningen