Poster Presentation Nutrition Society of Australia 50th Annual Scientific Meeting 2026

Comparative evaluation of dairy vs plant-based milk and yoghurt products sold in Australian supermarkets: nutrient composition, nutritional classification and affordability (147058)

Jaime Davis 1 , Amanda Genders 1 2 , Elizabeth Barber 1 2
  1. Department of Nutrition, Dietetics & Food, Monash University, BASE Facility, Notting Hill, Victoria, Australia
  2. Victorian Heart Institute, Monash University, Victorian Heart Hospital, Victoria, Australia

Due to ethical and health concerns, consumer consumption of plant-based (PB) dairy alternative food products has recently increased1,2, driven by the expansion of the PB alternative market in Australia3. Yet, their nutritional adequacy relative to dairy counterparts (DC) has not been properly assessed. It is essential to determine whether the current PB products are nutritionally comparable to DC to meet individuals’ intake requirements. This project aims to analyse and compare the nutrient composition, health star ratings (HSR), NOVA processing classification and price of PB milk and yoghurt products with DC available in Australian supermarkets. A total of 132 milks (dairy, almond, soy, oat, coconut, rice and macadamia) and 62 yoghurts (dairy, coconut, soy and oat) of PB and DC products were identified on the Coles and Woolworths websites in June-July 2026. Front-of-package labelling was used to extract nutrition information and the HSR, while the NOVA classification system4 was used to compare processing differences. Statistical differences between groups were achieved using ANOVA and t-test (p < 0.05). Nutritionally, PB milk had lower energy (187 vs 234 kJ/100 mL; p < 0.0001), protein (1.4 vs 3.6 g/100 mL except soy), sugar (2.0 vs 4.9 g/100 mL, saturated fat (0.46 vs 1.64 g/100 mL; p < 0.0001) and calcium (112 vs 130 mg/100mL; p < 0.0001), but higher fibre (0.69 vs 0.09 g/100 mL; p < 0.0001), unsaturated fat (1.82 vs 0.75 g/100 mL; p < 0.0001) and sodium (47 vs 41 mg/100 mL; p = 0.0024) with no difference in carbohydrates (4.5 vs 4.9 g/100 mL; p = 0.21) or total fat (2.3 vs 2.4 g/100 mL; p = 0.59). However, PB milks were more expensive (average $3.50/L vs $2.97/L; p = 0.0016), with only 72% scoring high HSR compared to 91% in DC milks. Additionally, 81% of PB milks were in NOVA Group 4 (ultra-processed), whereas 96% of DC milks were in Group 1 (unprocessed). A similar nutritional and price trend was observed in yoghurt products: only 17% of PB yoghurts scored high HSR, compared with 60% of DC yoghurts. All PB yoghurts were in NOVA Group 4 due to doubled total fat content (10.4 vs 5.1 g/100 g; p = 0.02), while 77% of DC yoghurts were in Group 1. In summary, although PB dairy alternatives may contain some beneficial nutrients (such as fibre and plant bioactives), NOVA classification failed to recognise their health potential, as mentioned earlier5. Alternatively, DC had lower sodium and higher protein and calcium levels and was more affordable due to fewer processing steps, thereby improving its overall nutritional scores. Consumer sensory testing will further support the future of PB food production. 

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