The Better Diet/Better Planet report by experts at Oxford University and the University of Minnesota is the latest authoritative study showing that one of the most accessible ways to slow down global warming, address the climate crisis, and benefit the environment is to transition to a plant-based diet. But how do we undo years of tradition, habit and programming to change what we eat and drink to help reduce the carbon footprint of our food?
Starting the transition is as easy as what we add to our coffee or our next bowl of cereal. And consumers around the world are embracing the change. Plant milks are flying off supermarket shelves and cows might just be jumping over the moon.
A new study, the “Plant Milk Report” by ProVeg International based in Germany www.proveg.com mines the market data to show why “plant milk is the top selling product in the entire plant-based-alternatives sector.” (Our Nov 8 blog examines plant milk’s much smaller environmental foot print than dairy milk at https://www.planetfriendlynews.com/blog/plant-based-milk-leads-the-transition-from- animal-based-food). The report shows sales of plant milks are surging while the market for dairy products is declining worldwide. One in two people in the US and Europe consume plant milk on its own or in addition to cow’s milk and more than two-thirds of consumers in Asia Pacific and Latin America regularly use plant milk.
The report cites market research that consumers are avoiding cow’s milk for health and environmental reasons. Globally, 75% of the adult population is lactose intolerant and consumers want to reduce their intake of saturated fats, cholesterol and sugar. One-third of consumers in Asia Pacific do not like the taste of cow’s milk and those in the US and Latin America said environmental and animal welfare concerns were an important part of their decision to switch to plant milk.
Increased consumption of plant milk in global markets is also driven by taste and convenience, the cultural tradition of plant-based foods -- especially in Asia -- and the sustainable footprint of source ingredients such as soy, peanuts, oats, rice, almonds, coconuts and hemp. The report identifies barriers to the adoption of plant milk including higher taxation rates than for dairy products in some markets such as Germany, regulatory resistance to “plant milk” as a product label, and political pushback from the dairy industry seeking to protect its economic interests.
But most dairy milk is no longer produced by small farms and is dominated by large food companies with industrialized factory farm operations. Furthermore, government subsidies have encouraged overproduction, creating huge unsold surpluses and further depressing prices. The number of dairy farms in the last 30 years has declined by 75% in the US and 81% in the EU. Last month, Dean Foods, the largest US milk producer, filed for bankruptcy protection, citing reduced demand and growing consumer preference for non-dairy milk.
The report says that one of the factors that leads to the adoption of plant milks is their inclusion in national nutritional guidelines. The UN FAO says these guidelines are important because “as well as providing advice to citizens about healthy eating, they form the basis of food and agricultural policies.” And the guidelines are part of a UN global push to “improve sustainability of food systems at all levels from production to consumption.” Canada recently changed the Canada Food Guide to emphasize plant-based protein and plant milk. While dairy products are still part of the mix, it no longer recommends daily consumption of cow’s milk.
The huge success of plant milk shows that billions of consumers are getting on the plant milk train with the largest market growth potential in China. And being part of the global rise of plant milk is an easy way for individuals everywhere to reduce the carbon footprint of our food and another way each of us can contribute to the solution to the climate crisis.