Consumers name digestive comfort as one of their main reasons for choosing plant-based dairy alternatives, according to a survey of 42,000 adults in 14 countries carried out by market research firm Ipsos with support from Paris-based food group Danone. Health was the most frequently cited motivation, at 42%.
The findings appear in the peer-reviewed journal Food Quality and Preference in a paper by C. Bou-Mitri, V. Messina, K. Wiśniewska and L. Duret. Danone, which owns the plant-based brands Alpro and Silk, has released a summary of the studdy from its research and innovation division.
Danone’s summary lists digestive comfort, cited by 32% of respondents, directly after health. The study’s full ranking places taste (35%) and naturalness (34%) ahead of it, making digestive comfort the fourth most cited reason.
Among respondents who focused on digestion, 35% described plant-based products as “not heavy” and 27% pointed to their being naturally lactose-free. More than half of all respondents said they consume plant-based foods, including drinks and yogurt alternatives, with Gen Z and Millennials reporting the highest consumption.
A second survey of 2,501 regular plant-based drink consumers in the US, UK and Germany found that up to 92% considered the drinks easy to digest, and 88% described them as gentle or light on the stomach.
According to Danone’s research division, the digestive comfort motivation appeared across dietary patterns, including among consumers who combine plant-based products with dairy. The company says this makes digestibility relevant to a wider group than people avoiding lactose or managing allergies, and describes the finding as a signal for product development and communication.
Danone states that the research captures self-reported perceptions and does not measure clinical outcomes or physiological effects. The company lists several product characteristics that experts are starting to examine as possible explanations: the absence of lactose, plant protein digestibility, fat content and composition, and energy density.
Virginia Messina, a registered dietitian and co-author of the study, said, “These findings offer valuable insights into how consumers perceive plant‑based products today, and help identify new areas for research into the factors shaping these experiences.”
