Consumption of Real Dairy Remains Strong

Consumption of Real Dairy Remains Strong, But Almost Half of U.S. Consumers Enjoy Both Dairy Products and Dairy Alternatives

Dairy alternatives have exploded in popularity in the past few years. Despite their rising status, the global consumption of real dairy products remains strong, according to new research from Minneapolis-based Cargill.

Cargill’s research was based on surveys of consumers in the United States, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, the U.K., France, Spain, Germany, Denmark, Russia, China, Japan and Indonesia. The company shared key findings at the Natural Products Expo West show, held in Anaheim, Calif., this past March. A few highlights from the U.S. consumer survey can be found here and are listed below. 

Only 12% of U.S. Consumers Prefer Dairy Alternatives

• 42% consume both
• 24% have tried dairy alternatives, but don’t like them
• 21% have never tried dairy alternatives
• 8% prefer dairy alternatives but also consumer real dairy
• 4% consume only dairy alternatives

Only 13% of U.S. Consumers are Dairy Avoiders 

• 67% regular part of my diet
• 20% consume, but not on a regular basis
• 10% limit my consumption
• 3% don’t eat at all

• Lactose Intolerance – 35%
• Dairy Sensitivity/Allergy – 26%
• Avoiding Added Growth Hormones – 24%
• To Reduce My Saturated Fat Consumption – 24%
• Cutting Back on Dairy as I Age – 23%
• Animal Rights/Cruelty Issues – 20%
• Because it’s an Animal Product – 19%
• Avoiding Added Antibiotics in Dairy – 18%
• To Reduce My Cholesterol – 18%
• To Reduce My Calorie Consumption – 17%

Note: Respondents were among the subset of survey respondents who said they avoid or limit dairy. Respondents could select more than one response. 

Note: Respondents were asked to what extent they agreed or disagreed with each statement, with 5 representing the highest level of agreement. The percentages reflect the combination of number 5 and number 4 responses.