Soy drinks’ growing popularity not just among health watchers

In the 12 months to March 2016, just over 1.1m Australians consumed at least one soy drink per week. 

And whereas consumption of energy and sports drinks has slipped since 2012, the proportion of Aussies drinking soy beverages is up over the same period—albeit fractionally. Still this represents an extra 115,000 people drinking soy milk at least once per week.

ACT residents lead the country for soy drink consumption, with 9.3% drinking it in an average week; well ahead of Melburnians and Sydneysiders, while Hobart lags behind the other capitals. Overall, capital-city dwellers are more likely than country residents to opt for soy drinks.

Not surprisingly, consumption is well above average among people who “avoid dairy foods wherever possible​”, as well as those for who say “milk/dairy products do not agree with me​”. It is also elevated among vegetarians and near vegetarians.

“Many Australians choose to drink soy milk because of the discomfort or adverse reactions dairy products cause them​,” said Norman Morris of Roy Morgan Research. 

Consumers interested in health and nutrition are also more inclined to drink soy beverages: for example, those who “favour natural medicines and health products​” are more than 50% more likely than the average Australian to drink soy milk, as are those who “look for drinks with added ingredients that are good for my body​”. 

However, the figures show that dairy and soy milk consumption are not as mutually exclusive as one might think. 

Almost one-third of Australians who consume soy drinks in an average seven days also drink regular fresh white milk in that time, suggesting that soy drinks are not just a lifestyle choice, but simply another beverage option.

Even among soy-drinkers who have issues with dairy, there is a surprising rate of dairy-milk consumption. Some 13.4% of soy-drinkers who “avoid dairy foods wherever possible​”, and 15.8% of those who say that “milk/dairy products don’t agree​” with them, drink regular milk as well as soy.

“While soy drink consumption shows no sign of challenging regular dairy milk, which is drunk by 44.4% of the population in an average seven days, it does occupy a certain niche in the non-alcoholic beverage market, with slightly more consumers than energy and sports drinks​,” said Morris.