2023-11-03 16:23:12
The consumer defense association UFC-Que Choisir believes that skyr, an Icelandic dairy specialty which has conquered supermarkets, is too expensive compared to its potential virtues.
It’s one of the new stars of supermarkets. An Icelandic dairy specialty, skyr is found almost everywhere among yogurts, cottage cheeses and other fresh cheeses. Major brands (Danone, Yoplait and even Lactalis, owner of the Siggi’s brand) as well as distributor brands have invested in the niche and are increasing the number of references, keen to take advantage of consumer enthusiasm. “Rich in protein”, “low in fat”, “consumed for 1000 years in Iceland”, “simple recipe”: the packaging touts its multiple benefits.
Not enough to convince the UFC-Que Choisir. The consumer defense association questions this skyr “sold at a high price”, much more expensive than other dairy products with no real benefits that would justify these high prices. Some brands reach 9 euros per kilo, “between 3 and 6 times more expensive than low-fat cottage cheese”, the closest dairy product, denounces the consumer association. As for private labels, although it is generally sold less expensively, it remains much higher than their low-fat cottage cheese references.
No real “appetite suppressant” effect
If skyr does contain “on average 30% more protein than low-fat cottage cheese”, “this specificity is probably of no interest to most of us”, notes UFC-Que Choisir. “The vast majority of French people, including vegetarians, ingest more than enough protein,” specifies Stéphane Walrand, researcher in human nutrition at Inrae, cited by the association. And it is “rarely useful to increase it, even when practicing physical activity regularly”, adds Claire Gaudichon, expert in nutrition and eating behavior at INRAE too.
Concerning the “appetite suppressant” effect of proteins, one of the marketing arguments of skyr, it would only be observed above 20 grams per serving. However, skyr has “only 2 or 3 grams more than the average low-fat white cheese”, a difference “insufficient to have an effect on satiety”, confirms Anestis Dougkas, specialist in dairy proteins at the institute. Lyfe, always cited by UFC-Que Choisir. Furthermore, the texture of a product thickens as the protein level increases, and a thick product is consumed in smaller quantities.
Jérémy Bruno Journalist BFMTV
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