Australia

Sugar-awareness likely behind drop in popularity of flavoured yoghurts

By RJ Whitehead

- Last updated on GMT

Photo: iStock
Photo: iStock

Related tags Australia

Flavoured yoghurts have been witnessing a downward slide over the last few years in Australia, while plain varieties have seen a general upswing, according to new market research.

In 2015, 48% of Australians ate at least one flavoured yoghurt each month, compared to 52% in 2011. Over the same period, the proportion eating natural or plain varieties surged from 36% to 43%, closing the gap on the traditionally more popular rival. 

Natural yoghurt’s newfound popularity appears to be an equal-opportunity phenomenon, with ever-increasing numbers of men and women picking it. Between October 2010 and September 2015, the proportion of Australian men who ate natural yoghurt in an average month grew from 30% to 36%, while the figure for women rose from 41% to 49%. 

Yoghurt
Flavoured vs plain yoghurt: 2011 vs 2015

While plain yoghurt consumption grew among all age groups except young men aged under-25, the most dramatic increases occurred among men and women aged between 25 and 34 years, followed closely by the 65-plus age bracket. 

The frequency with which Australians eat plain yoghurt has also grown over the last few years. Some 23% of natural-yoghurt eaters now consume it on a daily basis—up from 17% in 2011—to almost the same proportion as flavoured yoghurt (25%). 

Weekly consumption has grown from 29% to 30% over the same timeframe, though still short of flavoured yoghurt (34%) 

The gap is closing​,” said Michele Levine, chief executive of Roy Morgan Research, which carried out the survey. “This increased tendency towards natural/plain yoghurt may well be the result of the public becoming more aware of the hidden sugars in so many flavoured yoghurts, or part of a broader move towards more ‘natural’ foods​. 

It is certainly noteworthy that Aussies who eat natural yoghurt every day are nearly 50% more likely than the average Australian to agree that ‘I try to buy organic food whenever I can’.​”

Daily consumers of natural yoghurt are also twice as likely to eat all, or almost all, vegetarian food, suggesting that there is a conscious thought process behind their decision.

Related topics Markets Yogurt and Desserts

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1 comment

Sugar awareness in flavoured yoghurts

Posted by Jackie,

If manufacturers avoided additional sugars in flavoured yoghurts they would have a better flavour outcome, nicer tasting product, healthier choice and possible sales.
There are flavoured yoghurts without the additional sugars that are (of course) higher in sugar content than plain yoghurt but at least reasonable.

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