The diary giant conducted two studies with Ipsos. The first examined patterns and motivations related to the consumption of plant-based dairy alternatives and the second assessed the perceived overall benefits of plant-based drinks.
The worldwide survey of perception covered 42,000 adults, aged between were 18–65 years old in 14 different countries - USA, Canada, UK, Germany, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Poland, Hungary, Sweden, Mexico and Japan.
More than half of respondents (55%) reported consuming plant-based foods, including drinks and yogurt alternatives. Among these consumers 42% were frequent consumers at once a week and 29% were infrequent consumers (once per month or past use).
When they were asked about their motivations, health came out on top (42%) followed by taste (35%), naturalness (34%) and digestive comfort (32%), a driver that consistently stood out across countries and consumer groups.
Consumers who selected “health” as the key reason for choosing dairy alternatives were more prevalent in Japan (59%), UK (50%), Spain (49%), USA (49%), France (45%) and Hungary (45%) compared to those from other countries. These consumers were significantly more likely to be aged 45 - 65 years and were more likely to be female.
Among consumers who focused specifically on digestion, 35% of them perceived plant‑based products as “not heavy,” while 27% highlighted the fact that they are “naturally lactose‑free,” alongside other digestion‑related benefits.
Among consumers of plant-based alternatives 61% reported consuming yogurt alternatives, 59% plant-based drinks while 32% consumed plant-based desserts. In the USA and Canada, 47% reported using alternative creamers and 40% plant-based ice cream.
Gen Z and Millenials in the study showed the highest consumption of plant-based products, with health and wellbeing being growing priorities.
The second survey of 2,500 consumers in the USA, the UK and Germany found that 92% agreed the plant-based drinks are easy to digest and 88% said they are light on the stomach.
In the UK and Germany, plant-based drinks were mostly consumed with cereals (36%), in coffee (33%), with only 20% reportedly consuming them plain.
Oat drinks were the most consumed (57%), particularly in the UK and Germany (50% and 76% respectively) as compared with 31% in the USA. In contrast, almond drinks were the most popular in the USA (58%).
