Per capita consumption of fluid milk beverages decreased by close to 22% from 2000 to 2016. Through the same period, consumption of non-dairy plant-based milk alternatives has increased by triple digits. The decrease in dairy milk consumption can be interpreted as each consumer going from 10 glasses of milk each week to eight glasses per week, not much on an individual level but enormous when viewed in terms of the whole population on an annual basis. Even so, milk is still being consumed in over 90% of the households in the U.S, a report from Package Facts says.
Package Facts concludes that the reasons behind the decline in dairy milk consumption and the reasons for the rise in plant-based milks, such as health concerns, with a growing number of consumers coming to believe that plant-based foods are healthier than animal-based foods. Further, the report considers the growing consumer base that is motivated by animal welfare concerns, leading them to choose plant-based beverages, as well as other plant-based foods over animal-based products.