The 2006 results are from the comprehensive survey of the UK which is done once every three years (mentioned below) therefore figures vary from the 2004 and 2005 data which is just for England and Wales. There are also no figures for condensed milk for 2006.

Information on the number and size of enterprises buying ex-farm milk and those producing dairy products in either England and Wales or the United Kingdom are given in this section. The analyses are sourced from various Government surveys and records, details of which are described below.

Figures on the size distribution of ex-farm milk buyers in the United Kingdom are based on Intervention Board records and relate to purchasers who have been approved by the Intervention Board to hold and administer milk quota for their producers. Non-quota holding ex-farm milk buyers are therefore excluded from this analysis.

Data given for England and Wales are confined to those processors in England and Wales who have responded to DEFRA's monthly surveys of wholesale milk utilisation by dairies. Some smaller companies do not participate in these surveys and therefore it must be stressed that these tables give an indication of the size distribution of dairy companies in England and Wales but they underestimate the number and contribution of smaller manufacturers and therefore do not present a complete picture of the milk processing sector.

A more comprehensive UK survey is carried out once every three years. EU Member States are required to submit figures to the European Commission on the total number of enterprises producing different milk products and their output, as specified under Council Directive 96/16/EC. To meet the requirements of this Directive UK data are compiled by DEFRA from returns made to the Government Agricultural Departments and the Intervention Board. As far as possible these data covered all enterprises within the United Kingdom (both wholesale manufacturers and direct sellers) who were utilising milk on 31 December 1997 and included information from several smaller enterprises that do not normally respond to the monthly surveys.

Information on companies manufacturing condensed milk and milk powders are sourced from another DEFRA survey which collects data on production and stocks of condensed milk and milk powder in the United Kingdom.