Oat milk had a rapid ascent in 2020 to become the plant-based milk of choice in the UK, according to sales data sourced by market researchers Mintel. Brits spent 146 million pounds on oatmilk in 2020, up from 74 million pounds in 2019. By contrast, consumers spent 105 million pounds on almond milk in 2020 compared to 96 million in 2019.
 
These data come as total spending on plant-based milk reached 394 million pounds in 2020, increasing 32% from 2019 when the total market share was 298 million pounds. Meanwhile, sales of cow’s milk reached 3.2 billion in 2020.
 
One in three Brits now drink plant-based milk, with usage up from 25% in 2020 to 32% in 2021, and almost 44% of Brits between the ages of 25 and 44 are plant-based milk users. Usage of standard cow’s milk continues to be lower among younger consumers, dropping to an average of 84% use rate among consumers between the ages 16 and 24, compared to 96% of those ages 65 and up.
 
23% of adults told Mintel that plant-based milk is better for them than cow’s milk, and 50% of adults agree that milk choices make a difference to the environment. Overall, 26% of adults agreed with the statement that the COVID-19 outbreak has made vegan/plant-based food and drink more appealing to them. This statement rose to 38% of adults under the age of 35.
 
“The plant-based trend continues to gain momentum in the UK, fueled by environmental and health considerations,” Amy Price, senior food and drink analyst at Mintel, said. “Almost a third of adults drink plant-based milk, evidence of its firmly mainstream status and appeal far beyond the vegan or vegetarian populations.
 
“Oat milk was the main beneficiary of the accelerated demand in plant-based milk during 2020, overtaking almond milk as the top-selling plant-based milk,” Price continued. Oat milk’s previous robust growth has attracted a lot of innovation to the segment including barista-style varieties. The rapid sales growth of plant-based milk has brought about new product development from established players and new entrants alike. While almost 90% of Brits use cow’s milk, usage continues to be lower among younger Brits than older age groups, as it faces intense competition from plant-based varieties. If they retain their plant-based milk habit as they age, this stands to drive usage across the population upwards over time, fueling long-term growth for the plant-based milk category.”
 
Other Odds and Ends
When it comes to cow-sourced milk, it’s becoming clear that there are pandemic-induced shifts adjacent to the plant-based switch, as well. Sales of filtered (skim) cow’s milk increased 32% between 2019 and 2020 to reach 244 million pounds and as many as one in seven (14%) of Brits now use this milk, up from 9% a year ago. Ultra-high temperature (pasteurized) milk has also seen a surge in usage, up from 14% in 2019 to 20% in 2021. Overall, however, most Brits (92%) prefer fresh milk which needs to be refrigerated.
 
“A tendency to shop less often meant more people were willing to pay for milk that stayed fresh for longer. The pivotal question for longer-life milk options is whether more frequent shopping habits will resume even as a permanent shift towards more homeworking is predicted. If commuting levels increase, then top-up shopping should be boosted – potentially making fresh milk more appealing and filtered milk less so.”
 
Usage of Cornish and Devon clotted cream in the UK almost doubled from 6% to 11% usage rates in 2021, suggesting that the pandemic ignited the nation’s love of cream as Brit’s usage of cream also rose from a 51% to a 68% usage rate in 2021.