Can it really be true that the French are running out of butter? That the country with the second biggest dairy sector in Europe (after Germany) is incapable of providing households with such basic culinary fare?
The answer is yes… and no.
Yes – there are indeed butter shortages in French shops. Shelves are emptying. Supermarket own-brands have become scarce, and often it is only possible to find more expensive varieties for sale.
A sign in my local supermarket reads: “The butter market is facing an unprecedented shortfall in raw materials which is causing supply problems to this store.”
There is no butter crisis. If you need butter, you will find it. But it is obvious to all that the system is not functioning as it should do. Something is going wrong.
The experts have ascribed several causes.
Dining and Cooking