Consumption habits and perception of plant-based milk and dairy alternatives among vegetarians and omnivores: a case study of consumers in Slovenia

Kranjc, Kaja (author), Čanžek Majhenič, Andreja (author), Pajk Žontar, Tanja (author)

Background: Plant-based milk and dairy alternatives (PBMDAs) are increasingly consumed in Europe, yet evidence from Central Europe remains limited. This study investigated PBMDA consumption habits and perceptions among adults in Slovenia. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted in June 2024 using a nationally stratified consumer panel (N = 1500). The questionnaire assessed socio-demographics, lifestyle, selected self-reported psychological indicators, dietary pattern, PBMDAs-related beliefs, and interpretation of nutrition and ingredient information. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were complemented by multinomial logistic regression and Bayesian analyses. Results: Most participants followed an omnivorous diet, while vegetarians and vegans constituted a minority. Compared with omnivores, vegetarians expressed more favorable perceptions of PBMDAs (health, sustainability, safety), whereas omnivores expressed greater trust in dairy’s nutritional adequacy and stronger concerns about processing and additives. PBMDA perceptions varied by socio-demographics: younger participants and women expressed positive views, and vegetarian/vegan diets were more common among women and higher-educated consumers. Vegetarians/vegans reported more anxiety and body dysmorphic concerns than omnivores. When nutrition information was anonymised, both groups tended to rate dairy as healthier, indicating persistent biases in product evaluation. Conclusions: PBMDA perceptions in Slovenia are strongly segmented by dietary pattern and socio-demographics, supporting the need for clearer nutrition communication.

• Language: English
• Keywords: plant-based milk and dairy alternatives, consumer perception, dietary patterns, vegetarian, vegan, dairy, socio-demographic determinants, nutrition labelling, Slovenia
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 01.01.2026
• Year: 2026
• Number of pages: 19 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 15, iss. 5, art. 961
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-180693
• UDC: 637.18:366.12:613.2
• ISSN on article: 2304-8158
• DOI: 10.3390/foods15050961
• COBISS.SI-ID: 271071747
• Publication date in RUL: 13.03.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Foods
• Shortened title: Foods
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 2304-8158
• COBISS.SI-ID: 512252472

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: rastlinski nadomestki mleka, potrošniki, prehranjevalne navade, vegetarijanci, označevanje živil

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P4-0234-2018
• Name: Integrirano živilstvo in prehrana

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P4-0097-2019
• Name: Prehrana in mikrobna ekologija prebavil