New research has revealed that perceived gut health benefits and added probiotics are driving significantly higher yogurt demand in China.
Results of a survey carried out by DSM Global Insight in countries as varied as China, US, Brazil, and Turkey, revealed that perceived gut health benefits and added probiotics are driving significantly higher yogurt demand in China than the other countries surveyed. Moreover, improving digestibility would result in even further increases in Chinese yogurt consumption.
The paper reveals 8 out of 10 Chinese consumers actively seek a product containing probiotics.
The survey also shows that the rising yogurt consumption is heavily influenced by Chinese consumers embracing a healthy lifestyle and their belief that yogurt is good for their overall gut health. 76 percent of Chinese consumers choose yogurt for its gut health benefits compared to an average of 48 percent in the other markets surveyed including US, Brazil, Turkey, Poland and France.
Digestibility is also cited by our Chinese consumers as the key reason to further increase their consumption of yogurt. If it was ‘easier-to-digest’, Chinese consumers that have not increased their consumption of this dairy food over the last three years, report that they would eat more yogurt.
Digestibility, as a barrier to increased consumption, is more pronounced in China – where up to 95 percent of the population may be lactose intolerant – than in other countries surveyed.
“We see that lactose-free and low-lactose dairy is increasingly popular in China. Lactose-free dairy is perceived to be healthier than regular yogurt and addresses the gut-conscious consumers looking for ‘easy-to-digest’ dairy foods”, said Merel Roes, Global Marketing Manager Maxilact at DSM Food Specialties.
“Our survey reveals that Chinese consumers, buying lactose-free, are eating more yogurt than three years ago, compared to the overall Chinese consumers surveyed. They would also increase their consumption if there were more lactose-free options available.”
