Buying milk used to be simple; you walked into a supermarket, reached for a familiar tin or sachet, and carried on with the rest of your shopping. Today, that same trip can leave many people standing in the dairy aisle far longer than they expected.While shopping at one of the large supermarkets when a young couple standing in front of the milk shelf was noticed.
They had been there for what felt like ten minutes, carefully picking up one product after another, turning the packs over to read the labels before placing them back.The wife was scrolling through Instagram, almost desperately, as though she hoped someone had recently posted the answer to the question they were trying to solve. “Which milk should we buy?” Interestingly, they weren’t comparing brands or prices.
They were trying to understand the different options available. Should they choose dairy milk or a non-dairy alternative? And if dairy was the right choice, what exactly was the difference between Full Cream Milk and Filled Milk? They wanted to make the right choice but weren’t sure what those terms meant.Eventually, I smiled and walked over. “Hello, I’m sorry to interrupt.
I’m a dietitian, and from what I’ve overheard, I think I can help explain the differences.” Within a few minutes, what had seemed like a complicated shopping decision suddenly became much clearer.
They thanked me, picked the product that best suited what they were looking for and continued with the rest of their shopping.That encounter reminded me of something I have observed repeatedly throughout my years of practice: many consumers assume that milk is simply… milk.Yet today’s supermarket shelves tell a very different story.
Before deciding which milk to buy, many consumers are first faced with an important question: Should I choose dairy milk or a non-dairy alternative?