Marketability and Consumer Acceptance of Plant-Based Milk Alternatives: Global Trends with Special Reference to India

The plant-based milk alternatives have transitioned from niche health products to mainstream beverage choices across global markets in the last decade. The major sources of plant based dairy alternative are from soy, almond, oat, rice, coconut, and legumes. These alternatives are increasingly positioned as substitutes for conventional bovine milk. The growing popularity of plant based dairy alterative is driven by multiple factors, including rising lactose intolerance, ethical concerns about animal welfare, environmental sustainability, and changing dietary preferences. The global market showed that plant-based milk alternatives are now widely available in supermarkets, cafés, and food service outlets, reflecting strong market penetration in developed economies. In India, a country traditionally dominated by dairy consumption, the emergence of plant-based milk alternatives marks a significant shift in consumer behaviour, while the per capita milk consumption remains high, urbanization, health awareness, vegan movements, and exposure to global food trends have created new market opportunities. The understanding of marketability and consumer acceptance of plant-based milk alternatives is therefore crucial for policymakers, food technologists, entrepreneurs, and marketers operating in the evolving dairy and dairy-alternative sector.