Euro cheese is slicing into the cheddar

FOREIGN cheeses such as Brie and Camembert are challenging the traditional supremacy of cheddar, research shows.

Although cheddar still dominates the UK market, continental varieties are soaring in popularity.

The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board says cheddar still continues to account for around half of all UK cheese sales.

But demand for it has failed to keep pace with the overall market in the past year.

In contrast, sales of hard continental cheeses are up by six per cent and the soft version by 6.4 per cent.

An AHDB spokesman said: “Cheddar remains the Big Cheese so far in Britain but there is a hunger for more exotic flavours.”