THE BUSINESS OF DAIRY Consumers Often Have Misguided Beliefs About Dairy Industry’s Product Sustainability BY CAROLINE K. REFF
“I
t’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” – Henry David Thoreau What consumers think about sustainability in the dairy industry and its products – from farm to table – may not be completely accurate, but it doesn’t matter. Unfortunately, what does matter is what people believe to be true, as that is what drives them towards – or away—from dairy. The challenge is making sure that what consumers “see” is, in fact, the truth about the dairy industry’s commitment to sustainability. MilkPEP recently presented Sustainability in the Beverage Category: What Milk Processors Need to Know About the Latest Consumer Research, a webinar to give those in the dairy industry a closer look at why the perception of sustainability is critical to telling consumers the true story of dairy. Webinar panelists included Mike Stammer, senior manager, insights and analytics, MilkPEP; James Kulp, representing the California Milk Processors Board; and Dana Colbert, vice president of Radius Global Market Research. The information presented was based on data from a recent qualitative survey of consumers who were asked about their product preferences based on how sustainable they considered them to be.
In the overall beverage space, sustainable practices are certainly important to consumers, but possibly not quite as much as some may like to believe. Yes, many consumers are concerned that products and processes do not deplete or compromise natural resources. They look not only at the product itself but also consider how the product came to be. They want to know that the producers and processors making these products are leaving a minimal impact on the environment through every step of the supply
chain. This involves the consumers’ perception of everything from animal care, sustainable processing practices, eco-friendly packaging, transportation methods and what ingredients go into the product itself. Data from a recent survey sponsored by MilkPEP, showed that consumers have different levels of commitment when it comes to sustainability. Some have a staunch commitment, only choosing products they perceive to positively (or at least not negatively) impact the NED Magazine | Third Quarter 2022 • 25
