Vegan Oat Milk Sales Spike by 70 Percent in UK

Sales of vegan oat milk in the United Kingdom increased by 70 percent to £36 million ($45 million) in 2018, according to a report released last week by market research firm Mintel. Overall, Mintel found that demand for plant-based milk in the previous two years has increased by 10 percent, with 2018 sales of coconut and almond milk increasing by 16 percent and 10 percent, respectively. “Growth in this segment forms part of a much wider plant-based movement, driven by concerns around health, ethics, and the environment, as well as by consumers’ love of variety in their diets,” Emma Clifford, associate director of UK food and drink at Mintel, said. To understand the trend, Mintel surveyed 2,000 British consumers and found that younger generations were more likely to consume plant-based milk than older ones, with nearly a quarter (23 percent) of all participants indicating they have used plant-based milk within the three-month period ending in February 2019. Popular brand Oatly’s UK sales reflect this trend, increasing by 90 percent to £18 million ($22.5 million) in 2018—a number Oatly expects to exceed £30 million ($37.5 million) this year.