The County Press

Eighty percent of consumers want FDA to end mislabeling of fake milk



Only 20 percent of all consumers said plant-based beverages should be labeled milk, as U.S. dietary guidelines do not recommend imitators as a substitute for dairy milk; even when limited to buyers of plant-based drinks, support for mislabeling rose to only 41 percent.

Only 20 percent of all consumers said plant-based beverages should be labeled milk, as U.S. dietary guidelines do not recommend imitators as a substitute for dairy milk; even when limited to buyers of plant-based drinks, support for mislabeling rose to only 41 percent.

Survey results shows 61 percent of consumers believe FDA – which isn’t enforcing labeling rules – should restrict non-dairy beverage companies from using the term “milk” on their product labels. Above, the irony of the misleading labeling from “Simple Truth” is hard to ignore.

With only six days to go before the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) comment period on fake milk ends, new consumer research shows Americans widely disapprove of dairy terms being utilized for labeling of fake-milk products, according to the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF).

Misleading labels are also creating consumer confusion on the nutritional content of milk versus plant-based imitators, offering further evidence that FDA must enforce long-existing standards of identity on dairy imposters.

The newly announced online research commissioned by NMPF was conducted Jan. 4-7, 2019, by IPSOS, a global market research and consulting firm, which surveyed 1,005 adults nationwide. The question was:

“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration currently defines ‘milk’ as the product of an animal, but doesn’t enforce that labeling rule. Do you believe that the FDA should restrict non-dairy beverage companies from using the term ‘milk’ on their product labels?”

The national survey found:

Sixty-one percent of consumers believe FDA — which currently defines “milk” as the product of an animal, but doesn’t enforce that labeling rule — should restrict non-dairy beverage companies from using the term “milk” on its product labels.

Only 20 percent of all consumers said plant-based beverages should be labeled milk, as U.S. dietary guidelines do not recommend imitators as a substitute for dairy milk; even when limited to buyers of plant-based drinks, support for mislabeling rose to only 41 percent.

About 50 percent of consumers mistakenly perceive that the main ingredient of a plant-based beverage is the plant itself; such drinks are mostly flavored water.

More than one-third of consumers erroneously believe plant-based beverages have the same or more protein than dairy milk. Milk has up to eight times more protein than its imitators.

“This new data is more proof that the plant-based food and beverage industry is exploiting consumer confusion to boost their bottom line, and consumers don’t like it,” said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF). “Plant-based beverage brands that sell nutritionally inferior products under the health halo of milk mislead consumers. FDA must enforce its existing regulations.”

The new data builds on previous surveys, including one from August, which show that 53 percent of all consumers said they believe plant-based food manufacturers label their products “milk” because their nutritional value is similar, even though products widely vary in content.

An October poll found one-quarter of 2,006 adults surveyed nationwide either thought almond drinks contained cow’s milk or weren’t sure. Meanwhile, a January survey found consumers, by nearly a 3-to-1 margin, calling for the FDA to end the mislabeling of fake milk.