Survey Reveals Nearly Half Of Dairy Consumers Also Buy Alternatives

Recent research
conducted by Cargill reveals that while 67 percent of American adults regularly
consume dairy, almost half of them also buy vegan alternatives.

Shifting
trends

The results
of the 840-person poll may be indicative of decreasing interest in cow’s milk
and growing traction in the dairy alternative industry.

In fact, some
of the dairy consumers who also buy plant-based milks indicated that they
prefer the vegan versions.

Additionally,
12 percent of respondents said they pointedly avoid or limit their consumption
of dairy.

Alternative
market

Survey participants
were also able to rank their favourite non-dairy milks in order or preference,
with almond, coconut, and soy milk taking the three top spots.

Cargill
also inquired as to ‘barriers’ in the dairy alternatives market, and
respondents said the issues they took with the plant-based products include
taste, feelings of satisfaction, and price point.

Dairy
avoidance

Of the ‘dairy avoiders’, 79 percent said they’ve tried plant-based alternatives.

While most
of the reasons provided by the dairy avoidance group had to do with health and
nutrition, up to 20 percent said the choice was linked to issues of animal
cruelty and animal rights.

Growing industry

It is unsurprising given these statistics that the plant milk industry has seen considerable forecasted and ongoing growth, both in the UK and internationally.

The success of the plant milk industry has been so significant, in fact, that the National Farmer’s Union has disputed the alternative products usage of the work ‘milk’.

Author David Sprinkles published a paper last year which analysed the competition between traditional and plant milks, arguing that relabeling would do little to stop the growth of the dairy-alternative industry.

He wrote: “The trend has left the station.”