Global consumption of dairy fat influenced by factors such as cultural preferences, dietary habits, and economic development (Kapaj and Deci, Reference Kapaj, Deci, Watson, Collier and Preedy2017). Dairy fat is a key component of milk, cheese, butter, and cream, affecting their flavor, texture, and nutritional profile of these foods (Waldron et al., Reference Waldron, Hoffmann, Buchheim, McMahon, Goff, Crowley, Siong, McSweeney, Fox and O'Mahony2020). However, consumption patterns are shifting due to health concerns (particularly around saturated fats) (Giosuè et al., Reference Giosuè, Calabrese, Vitale, Riccardi and Vaccaro2022), dietary trends (low-carb or ketogenic diets) (Volek et al., Reference Volek, Phinney, Krauss, Johnson, Saslow, Gower and Hamdy2021), plant-based alternatives (Cardello et al., Reference Cardello, Llobell, Giacalone, Roigard and Jaeger2022), and consumer preferences (Vargas-Bello-Pérez-Pérez et al., Reference Vargas-Bello-Pérez, Faber, Osorio and Stergiadis2020). As a result, global dairy fat consumption is evolving, driven by health, environmental, and lifestyle factors, with ongoing trends expected to continue shaping consumption patterns (Bojovic and McGregor, Reference Bojovic and McGregor2023).
Historically, dairy fat consumption has been high in regions with strong dairy traditions, such as Europe and North America (Cox and Zhu, Reference Cox, Zhu, Aksoy and Beghin2005; Comerford et al., Reference Comerford, Miller, Boileau, Masiello Schuette, Giddens and Brown2021). In these regions, products like cheese and butter are commonly consumed in various dishes and cuisines (Comerford et al., Reference Comerford, Miller, Boileau, Masiello Schuette, Giddens and Brown2021). Although Latin American countries make a strong contribution to global dairy production, data on dairy consumption is limited and data focused on dairy fat is even more difficult to find.
Argentina, Chile, and Mexico have a well-established dairy sector, and produce 31% of the total milk of Latin America and Caribe (Fariña et al., Reference Fariña, Baudracco and Bargo2020). We hypothesized that these countries represent a wide spectrum of consumption preferences, making them ideal for studying consumer behavior in dairy products. Dairy consumption in Mexico has been increasing steadily over the years, due to several reasons, including urbanization, increasing disposable incomes, and a growing awareness of the nutritional benefits of dairy products (Fariña et al., Reference Fariña, Baudracco and Bargo2020). Milk, cheese, and yogurt are among the most consumed dairy products in Mexico. Traditional Mexican cuisine often incorporates dairy in various forms, such as cheese in dishes like quesadillas and enchiladas (Dobson, Reference Dobson2003). While dairy consumption is generally increasing, there are still disparities in access to and consumption of dairy products among different segments of the population. Additionally, cultural and dietary preferences also influence the types and quantities of dairy products consumed in various regions of Mexico (Fariña et al., Reference Fariña, Baudracco and Bargo2020).
Dairy consumption in Argentina is traditionally high compared to many other countries, owing to the country's strong agricultural sector and cultural preferences for different forms of animal source protein (Lazzarini et al., Reference Lazzarini, Baudracco, Tuñon, Gastaldi, Lyons, Quattrochi and Lopez-Villalobos2019). Milk, cheese, and yogurt are staple components of the Argentine diet and are consumed in various forms throughout the day. The Argentine dairy industry is well-established, with dairy farms scattered across the country, particularly in regions like the Pampas, where favorable climatic conditions support cattle farming (Lazzarini et al., Reference Lazzarini, Baudracco, Tuñon, Gastaldi, Lyons, Quattrochi and Lopez-Villalobos2019). As in other countries, trends in dairy consumption in Argentina are influenced by factors such as urbanization, changing lifestyles, and health awareness (Fariña et al., Reference Fariña, Baudracco and Bargo2020).
Dairy consumption in Chile has experienced significant growth over the past few decades, reflecting changes in dietary patterns and increasing urbanization. The Chilean dairy industry has expanded to meet the growing demand for dairy products, with domestic production supplemented by imports to fulfill consumer needs (Llorca-Jaña et al., Reference Llorca-Jaña, Nazer, Morales-Campos and Navarrete-Montalvo2020). Dairy farming is practiced in various regions of Chile, with some areas, such as the Los Lagos Region, being significant dairy-producing regions (Fariña et al., Reference Fariña, Baudracco and Bargo2020). Despite the growth in dairy consumption, there are ongoing discussions and debates regarding the impact of dairy products on health, particularly concerning issues such as lactose intolerance and dietary preferences. Nonetheless, dairy products continue to be an integral part of Chilean cuisine and culture (Vargas-Bello-Pérez et al., Reference Vargas-Bello, Enriquez Hidalgo, Toro Mujica, Fellenberg Plaza, Ibáñez Alfaro and Schnettler2018).
The objective of this study was to assess consumer knowledge and perceptions toward dairy fat. Although dairy products are common foods in the region, we hypothesized that consumer toward dairy fat would be different between countries. Therefore, a survey was conducted in Latin America including countries that are very representative of dairy production in that part of the world. This study offers valuable feedback for academia, industry, and consumers. Understanding consumer perceptions can inform strategies to meet expectations, assess market effectiveness, and drive innovation in the dairy sector. The findings can help identify opportunities to educate consumers, improve product development, and enhance the overall dairy market.
Materials and methods
Data collection and participants
A web-based survey was designed and developed for data collection using Google Forms. The survey was available online from November 2022 to February 2023. The survey link was circulated through social media outlets (e.g., Facebook and Twitter – now ‘X’). The survey was anonymous, as no personally identifiable information was collected. The survey was voluntary, and participants had the opportunity to exit the survey at any time.
Only respondents of 18 yr of age or older were included in the analysis. The decision to close the survey was made when response rates started to decline (fewer than 5 responses per week). For sample size, a post hoc power analysis was performed (SAS Institute Inc.) and the power of analysis (1 – β) was calculated, accepting a null hypothesis error of 0.05, considering the question, “Do you consume dairy products?” as a dichotomous variable. This study obtained ethical clearance from the School of Agriculture, Policy and Development of the University of Reading (ID 1949D).
Questionnaire development
The questionnaire had 24 multiple-choice questions and was divided into the following sections: (1) socio-demographic information (age, gender, education, employment status, country, growing up in the countryside, familiarity with livestock farming); (2) dairy fat consumption; (3) knowledge, attitudes, and perception toward milk fat (Supplementary Table S1). Before launching the online questionnaire, we performed a pilot survey among 30 participants from each country to evaluate the questions in terms of clarity, the accuracy of response options, the use of scientific and colloquial terminologies, and the overall flow of the survey. The questionnaire was initially developed in Spanish and was adjusted based on feedback from the pilot survey to Spanish variations from each country. In so doing, we were careful not to change the meaning or tone of the questions in the survey.
Dairy consumption habits by gender, age, and the same for consumption frequencies
The effect of gender and age on dairy consumption was evaluated. Regarding dairy consumers, first, it was checked whether there was a difference in the proportion of men and women who consumed at least one dairy product per day. Next, the age dependence of the consumption of at least one dairy product per day was evaluated. Subsequently, it was evaluated whether within each group (women and men) there was an effect of age on this variable. The effect of the variables gender and age on the frequency of consumption of milk, cheese, butter, and yogurt was also evaluated.
Data and statistical analysis
Statistical analysis was conducted in R version 2024.04.0 (www.r-project.org/) and Excel version 2016 (Microsoft Corp., Redmond, WA). Question response alternatives that were scarcely selected or mentioned were regrouped to form a new category. Contingency tables were prepared, and chi-squared tests were performed to determine the association between the country of origin, age, and gender. Categorical and ordinal data were shown as frequencies and percentages. The threshold for statistical significance was set at P < 0.05.
Results
Sociodemographic characteristics
In total, 1,204 surveys were answered and completed (Table 1). Most respondents were aged between 18 and 39 years old (66%) and female (61%). Most respondents had bachelor's (30.9%) or master's (17.4%) degrees and were employed (58.5%). More than seventy percent of respondents declared they did not grow up in the countryside (74.7%), and most (95.4%) respondents consume dairy products.
Characteristics of participants interviewed (n = 1024) from Mexico, Chile, and Argentina
Frequency of dairy consumption
Consumption of dairy products: No significant gender differences were detected in the daily consumption of at least one dairy product, with 49.8% of men and 51.7% of women reporting such consumption (χ2 = 0.39, df = 2 p = 0.53). Age influenced dairy consumption (Supplementary Figure S1), with increasing age associated with higher daily dairy consumption in both women (χ2 = 13.7, p < 0.01) and men (χ2 = 26.7, p < 0.01). Among men, a notable increase in the frequency of dairy product consumption was identified in the 50–59 age group, whereas among women, a similar trend was observed at 60 years and older (p < 0.01).
Milk consumption: In the total sample, neither gender (χ2 = 7.4, df = 5 p = 0.19), nor age (χ2 = 30.3, df = 20, p = 0.06) affected the frequency of milk consumption. However, when the effect of age is analyzed within the group of women, it is evident that in women between 18–29 years old, there is a greater frequency of milk consumption as they reported higher percentages in the frequency categories 1–2 times and 3–6 times per week (χ2 = 51.36, df = 20 p < 0.01).
Yogurt consumption: Similarly, to what was observed in milk consumption, no significant gender (χ2 = 4.2, df = 5 p = 0.51) or age (χ2 = 27.4, df = 20 p = 0.12) effects were observed in the frequency of yogurt consumption. Within each gender, differences by age category were also not observed.
Cheese consumption: No gender differences were found in cheese consumption (X2 = 10.0, df = 5 p = 0.07). However, age had a significant impact (χ2 = 56.3, p < 0.01), with higher consumption frequencies among those over 60 years. Meanwhile, people aged 18–29 years had a significantly higher frequency of consumption than the other age ranges in the 1–2 times per week category and a significantly lower frequency in the everyday category (Figure S2).
Butter consumption: Butter consumption frequency varied significantly by country (χ2 = 112.6, df = 10, p < 0.01), but not by age (χ2 = 31.9, df = 20 p = 0.04) or gender (χ2 = 4.6, df = 5 p = 0.46) (Figure S3). Country-specific patterns emerged: Argentina showed higher frequencies of 1–2 times/week and 2–3 times/month, while Chile had higher everyday consumption. In Mexico, despite observing a lower daily consumption of butter, there is a higher percentage of the population with butter consumption 3–6 times per week and 1–2 times per week.
Cream consumption: Cream consumption influenced by country of origin (χ2 = 228.8, df = 10 p < 0.01) (Figure S4), but no gender (χ2 = 2.4, df = 5 p = 0.78) or age (χ2 = 28.6, df = 20 p = 0.09). Also, country influenced ice cream consumption (χ2 = 114.1, df = 10 p < 0.01), as did age (χ2 = 40.9, df = 20 p < 0.01) (Figure S5). Argentina had higher frequencies of ice cream consumption 1–2 times/week, Chile had higher frequencies 1–6 times/year, Mexico had a lower percentage of non-consumers.
Type of milk consumed by country, gender, age
Country (χ2 = 30.2, df = 18 p < 0.01), age (χ2 = 69.2, df = 36 p < 0.01), and gender (χ2 = 69.2, df = 36 p < 0.01) effects were observed on the type milk consumption preferences (Fig. 1A–C). Whole milk was preferred in Mexico, while semi-skimmed milk was favored in Chile. In Argentina, skimmed milk was the most popular (Fig. 1A). Age-specific preferences showed that 18–29-year-olds preferred whole milk, 40–49-year-olds preferred semi-skimmed milk, and those over 60 preferred lactose-free milk (Fig. 1B). Whole milk consumption was higher in men than in women, whereas skimmed milk was preferred by women. No effect of gender was observed on the consumption of semi-skimmed, lactose-free, fortified, organic, or fermented milk (Fig. 1C).
Types of milk consumed by country, age, and gender.
Knowledge and perception of nutrients in milk
A significant relationship was found between nutrient type and importance assigned by participants, both overall and by country (Figure S6). In the global number of respondents, 32% considered fat the least important, whereas 38% prioritized protein. Carbohydrates and vitamins were also deemed less important than average, whereas calcium ranked as the second most important nutrient. Notably, differences emerged across countries, 7% of Argentine respondents considering fat relatively unimportant, compared to 26% in Chile and 22% in Mexico. Furthermore, Chile and Argentina respondents (<26%) also downplayed carbohydrates, whereas 47% of Mexicans ranked them among the top three most important nutrient
Knowledge and perception of milk fat
Country (χ2 = 30.4, df = 14 p < 0.01) and age (χ2 = 70.1, df = 28 p < 0.01) significantly influenced the type of fat considered most important (Fig. 2A,B). Notable country-specific differences emerged in preferences for omega-6 and mono-unsaturated fats. Argentineans prioritized omega-6 (14.8%), while Mexicans emphasized mono-unsaturated fats (Fig. 2A). Age-related differences were also found, with younger people gave a higher value to essential fats, unlike people in older age categories, who give greater importance to omega 3 (40–49 years) and omega 6 fats (50–60 years and over 60 years) (Fig. 2B).
Types of fat considered important by country and age.
More than 40% of the surveyed population across the three countries did not associate milk fat as “healthy” or “unhealthy”. On average, 48% considered it healthy or very healthy, while only 2.2% deemed it “very unhealthy”. No country-specific differences were found. However, age-related differences emerged, with those under 40 years of age showing no clear perception of milk fat's healthiness and those over 60 years of age perceiving it as healthy.
Among respondents who perceived milk fat as healthy, the main reasons were nutritional benefits (50.8%), energy supply (31.5%), and natural origin (18.1%). No country-specific differences were found (Figure S7A). Those respondents aged 50–59 linked milk fat's healthiness with energy supply (39%), while those over 60 emphasized its natural origin (32% versus 17.6% of the overall population).
Country-specific differences emerged in reasons for perceiving milk fat as unhealthy (Figure S7B). In Argentina (67.2%) and Chile (40.1%) primarily cited cholesterol concerns, while Mexico (28%) emphasized cardiovascular diseases (24%). Age-related differences were also found, with 31.6% of older respondents (aged 50–59) linking milk fat to cardiovascular problems, while 25% of those aged 40–49 attributing unhealthiness to calorie content.
There was a dependence between country and the source of information about milk fat (χ2 = 24.2, df = 12 p = 0.01) (Figure S8). Sources differed across countries, while in Argentina 38.5% cited education as the main source, this percentage increased to 60% in Mexico. In contrast, social networks were less frequently cited in Mexico compared to Chile and Argentina, whereas TV and radio were more commonly mentioned in Argentina. Age-related differences were also found, with younger respondents (18–29) relying more on education (55.8%), while older respondents (60 +) relied more on newspapers (17.4%).
Seventy-five percent of the total population was willing to pay a premium for milk with a healthy fat content, with no significant differences by country, age, or gender. When it comes to labeling, animal welfare, and environmental conservation were top priorities (Figure S9). Country-specific variations emerged, with Mexico emphasizing sustainability (45.9%) and Chile prioritizing local production (45.6%).
Discussion
Dairy products are a staple in the human diet, with an upsurge in their global consumption, particularly in middle- and low-income countries (Bojovic and McGregor, Reference Bojovic and McGregor2023). This despite warning about the sizeable contribution of ruminant agriculture to greenhouse gas emissions (Kearney et al., Reference Kearney, O'Riordan, Byrne, Breen and Crosson2023). Nutritional characteristics in dairy products are strongly valued by consumers worldwide, and this regard is particularly crucial for dairy fats that have received conflicting statements from long-term studies in relation to public perceptions of harm to human health from dairy fats (Tabacco et al., Reference Tabacco, Merlino, Coppa, Massaglia and Borreani2021). Also, it is well established that the consumers’ preferences concerning dairy food play a key role in shaping food marketing strategies, communication approaches, and policymaking processes (Martinho, Reference Martinho2020). Therefore, delving into the factors that shape consumers’ knowledge and perceptions will enable us to develop a more nuanced understanding of consumer habits. This, in turn, will facilitate the design of market opportunities and public policies that aim to boost the dairy sector (Merlino et al., Reference Merlino, Renna, Nery, Muresu, Ricci, Maggiolino and Tarantola2022; Vargas-Bello-Pérez, Reference Vargas-Bello, Enriquez Hidalgo, Toro Mujica, Fellenberg Plaza, Ibáñez Alfaro and Schnettler2018).
The sample consisted of 56.5% females aged 18–39, reflecting a trend in Latin America where women are more likely to participate in online surveys and undertake household shopping. Comparable trends have been reported in studies regarding dairy products (Guiné et al., Reference Guiné, Florença, Carpes and Anjos2020), milk (Vargas-Bello-Pérez et al., Reference Vargas-Bello, Enriquez Hidalgo, Toro Mujica, Fellenberg Plaza, Ibáñez Alfaro and Schnettler2018), and cheese (Vargas-Bello-Pérez et al., Reference Vargas-Bello, Aguilar, Mújica, Vera, Cerda and Brione2014) consumption in Latin America, as well as in research focused on meat (Verbeke and Vackier, Reference Verbeke and Vackier2004) and cheese (Mesías et al., Reference Mesías, Escribano, Rodríguez De Ledesma and Pulido2003) purchases in high income countries. The fact that the majority of participants were young females (between 18 and 39 years old) with a high education (39.4% with a Bachelor's and 24.3% with a Master's degree) which agrees with previous reports from Chile (Vargas-Bello-Pérez et al., Reference Vargas-Bello-Pérez, Riveros, Köbrich, Álvarez-Melo and Lensink2018), Italy (Palmieri et al., Reference Palmieri, Pesce, Verrascina and Perito2021), Iran (Rahnama and Rajabpour, Reference Rahnama and Rajabpour2017), China (Xu et al., Reference Xu, Zhou and Lone2016), and Turkey (Can, Reference Can2023) that demonstrated a higher interest of well-educated young women for dairy nutritional properties. It was reported by Lando et al. (Reference Lando, Bazaco, Parker and Ferguson2022) that while raw milk drinkers in US were generally younger and more often lived in rural areas or states permitting raw milk sales, occasional drinkers were more likely college-educated, whereas frequent drinkers had lower formal education levels. Additionally, a recent study (Bréjon et al., Reference Bréjon, Tavares, Florença, Gonçalves, Barroca and Guiné2024) indicated that certain sociodemographic variables, specifically country and age, significantly impacted knowledge about milk fat, which supports our findings.
Our data indicate that neither gender nor age affected the consumption of milk, yogurt, butter, cheese, and cream. The association between gender, age, and dairy consumption has been demonstrated in numerous studies (Rabiei et al., Reference Rabiei, Zahedi, Abtahi, Doustmohammadian, Dadkhah, Zoghi and Hajigholam-saryazdi2021; Rahnama and Rajabpour, Reference Rahnama and Rajabpour2017; Tütenk et al., Reference Tütenk, Dellal, Pehlivan and Akşit2022; Vargas-Bello-Pérez et al., Reference Vargas-Bello, Enriquez Hidalgo, Toro Mujica, Fellenberg Plaza, Ibáñez Alfaro and Schnettler2018). In line with this, the results of an earlier study conducted in Chile indicated that factors such as age, gender, socioeconomic class, and educational level did not significantly influence the frequency of milk consumption (Vargas-Bello-Pérez et al., Reference Vargas-Bello, Enriquez Hidalgo, Toro Mujica, Fellenberg Plaza, Ibáñez Alfaro and Schnettler2018). It has been also shown (Guiné et al., Reference Guiné, Florença, Carpes and Anjos2020) that gender did not significantly influence the consumption of dairy products in Portugal and Brazil. Tütenk et al. (Reference Tütenk, Dellal, Pehlivan and Akşit2022) found no significant relationship between age and consumption of milk and dairy products in Turkey.
Our study found that whole milk was most consumed in Mexico, semi-skimmed milk in Chile, and skimmed milk in Argentina. The varying preferences across countries (i.e. the differences in concern about fat and its perceived health benefits) may be attributed to differing food policies that have been implemented in each country in the last few decades. These policies have likely shaped consumer perceptions, expectations, and decision-making processes regarding the health benefits and fat content of milk and other food products (Vargas-Bello-Pérez-Pérez et al., Reference Vargas-Bello-Pérez, Faber, Osorio and Stergiadis2020).
This study reveals gender-based differences in milk consumption preferences among Latin Americans, with men favoring whole milk and women preferring skimmed and semi-skimmed milk. This finding can be partially attributed to the fact that consumers from different countries are influenced by distinct cultural factors, which affect their perception of food products (Girois et al., Reference Girois, Kumanyika, Morabia and Mauger2001). In line with our data, the study of milk consumption habits in Latin America (Vargas-Bello-Pérez et al., Reference Vargas-Bello, Enriquez Hidalgo, Toro Mujica, Fellenberg Plaza, Ibáñez Alfaro and Schnettler2018) highlighted that women consume more (60.4 %) skimmed milk compared with male participants who favored (44.1 %) whole milk. This suggests a conscious consideration of daily fat intake, prioritizing low-fat milk options for health objectives. In confirmation, previous literature (Bus and Worsley, Reference Bus and Worsley2003; Johansen et al., Reference Johansen, Næs and Hersleth2011; Krešić et al., Reference Krešić, Herceg and Lelas2010) showed that female consumers exhibited a lower preference for full-fat milk compared to their male counterparts. These researchers suggested that women may prioritize fat content and weight management more than men, potentially influencing their milk consumption choices. This finding is also supported by studies in other markets, such as Slovakia (Krivošíková et al., Reference Krivošíková, Nagyová, Kubelaková and Mokrý2019) and Croatia (Krešić et al., Reference Krešić, Herceg and Lelas2010), where semi-skimmed milk is preferred due to its lower fat content.
In all respondents, protein was identified as most critical nutrient in milk followed by calcium. In line with our results, it has been reported (Vargas-Bello-Pérez-Pérez et al., Reference Vargas-Bello-Pérez, Tajonar, Foggi, Mele, Simitzism, Mavrommatis and Toro-Mujica2022) that the protein in dairy products from sheep and goats was the most highly valued nutrients noted by respondents. Similarly, a survey of Polish consumers found that protein was the most highly valued nutrient (Sajdakowska et al., Reference Sajdakowska, Gębski, Guzek, Gutkowska and Żakowska-Biemans2020). In our survey calcium ranked as the second most important nutrient. This aligns with existing knowledge, as milk is widely recognized as a rich source of calcium, essential for maintaining bone health (Bus and Worsley, Reference Bus and Worsley2003). Bréjon et al. (Reference Bréjon, Tavares, Florença, Gonçalves, Barroca and Guiné2024) found that participants from France and Portugal attributed milk's nutritional value primarily with calcium, proteins, lipids, vitamins, minerals, and water. According to Vargas-Bello-Pérez-Pérez et al. (Reference Vargas-Bello-Pérez, Faber, Osorio and Stergiadis2020), calcium was perceived as a key milk nutrient by a significant proportion of respondents in Denmark (38%), the United Kingdom (49%), and the United States (45%). Sajdakowska et al. (Reference Sajdakowska, Gębski and Gutkowska2021) indicate that enhancing the calcium content of dairy products may be perceived favorably by consumers. Additionally, the high protein content of dairy products was a key driver of positive perception, with consumers evaluating these products as nutrient-dense and conferring health benefits.
Over 40% of participants held a neutral view on the healthiness of milk fat, while 48% perceived it as “healthy” or “very healthy”. This disparity may be attributed to cultural factors influencing food perceptions, which vary across countries (Girois et al., Reference Girois, Kumanyika, Morabia and Mauger2001; Vargas-Bello-Pérez-Pérez et al., Reference Vargas-Bello-Pérez, Faber, Osorio and Stergiadis2020). Additionally, the complex interplay of political, economic, and scientific factors (Astrup, Reference Astrup2006) likely contributes to the varying concerns and perceptions about milk fat's healthfulness.
In the current study, participants who perceived milk fat as “unhealthy” primarily associated it with cholesterol and cardiovascular disease. This finding is consistent with previous research, which has shown that consumers often link the perceived unhealthiness of milk fat to obesity, cholesterol, and cardiovascular disease (Vargas-Bello-Pérez-Pérez et al., Reference Vargas-Bello-Pérez, Faber, Osorio and Stergiadis2020). The cholesterol and energy content of milk fat are commonly cited as the primary reasons for its perceived unhealthiness (Bus and Worsley, Reference Bus and Worsley2003).
Formal education was identified as the primary source of information about milk fat by most respondents. Similarly, a study (Vargas-Bello-Pérez-Pérez et al., Reference Vargas-Bello-Pérez, Faber, Osorio and Stergiadis2020) of consumer knowledge and perceptions of milk fat in Denmark, the United Kingdom, and the United States found that a notable proportion of respondents in each country cited formal education (e.g., school or university) as a key source of information about milk fat, with 37%, 44%, and 43% of respondents, respectively, naming education as a primary source. In contrast, social media was consistently ranked as the least important source of information across all three countries. In contrast, a survey of 733 urban consumers in Turkey found that mass media plays a significant role in shaping consumer perceptions towards dairy products (Atabek and Atabek, Reference Atabek and Atabek2019).
Additionally, our findings showed an effect of country and age on the best-known dairy fat type. In Argentina, omega-6 was the most recognized milk fat component, while Chilean consumers were less familiar with this fat type. Mexican consumers, on the other hand, prioritized mono-unsaturated fats. However, knowledge of other fat components and nutrients in milk was similar across countries. A previous study found that 45% of consumers in Denmark, the UK, and the US were willing to pay more for milk with a better fat profile (Vargas-Bello-Pérez-Pérez et al., Reference Vargas-Bello-Pérez, Faber, Osorio and Stergiadis2020). A consumer survey conducted in Poland (Sajdakowska et al., Reference Sajdakowska, Gębski, Guzek, Gutkowska and Żakowska-Biemans2020) found that n-3 fatty acids were highly valued by consumers, especially for those with a ‘health-oriented’ profile that aligned with the findings of the current study. It has been well established (Tabacco et al., Reference Tabacco, Merlino, Coppa, Massaglia and Borreani2021) that providing consumers with clear and straightforward information about dairy fat properties empowers them to make more educated decisions and possibly pay a higher milk price that fulfills the health benefits advertised on the packaging. Our survey found that many Latin American consumers overlook milk fat content, presenting an opportunity for the dairy sector to enhance product quality and justify premium pricing, addressing challenges with low raw milk prices.
Our results showed that consumers prioritized animal welfare and environmental conservation in the labeling. A study examining Chilean consumers’ perceptions of animal welfare in dairy production systems found that 86% of participants considered information about animal welfare production conditions to be a crucial aspect to include on dairy product labels. Furthermore, 36% of participants expressed a willingness to pay a premium of 20–30% more for dairy products that prioritize animal welfare (Vargas-Bello-Pérez et al., Reference Vargas-Bello, Enriquez Hidalgo, Toro Mujica, Fellenberg Plaza, Ibáñez Alfaro and Schnettler2018). A recent study (Meyerding and Seidemann, Reference Meyerding and Seidemann2024) on consumer segments preferences for milk in Germany showed that label influence was minimal, while packaging had a significant impact on consumer choices. Research suggests that consumers with higher socioeconomic status, characterized by higher incomes and educational attainment, are more likely to pay a premium price for products that prioritize farm animal welfare (Clark et al., Reference Clark, Stewart, Panzone, Kyriazakis and Frewer2016; Sajdakowska et al., Reference Sajdakowska, Gębski and Gutkowska2021) and the dairy industry in Latin-America should start looking to develop this type of products and labeling.
The implications of this study are valuable to various stakeholders, including dairy producers, retailers, and public health officials. The Latin American dairy sector could be advised to emphasize the nutritional value of milk fat. Concurrently, the marketing sector should target the factors influencing milk consumption trends based on fat content. By enhancing labeling information, they can assist consumers in making healthier food selections. Additionally, the study's findings can serve the public health sector in educating different segments of the public about misconceptions surrounding dairy milk, highlighting the availability and benefits, for instance, of milk with healthier fatty acid profiles.
This study serves as a benchmark for understanding consumer perceptions of dairy fat within Latin America. However, more studies are necessary, with detailed surveys tailored to this region, and focused on nuanced preferences and behaviors. To enhance the quality and reliability of future surveys, it is recommended that the sample size per country is increased, that stricter enrollment criteria are set to limit the levels of potential confounding variables among participants and ensure comparability across respondents by matching them based on relevant confounding factors.
Conclusions
Our results highlight the importance of studying demand, especially for dairy fat, to inform production, processing, and marketing strategies for dairy products within Latin America. Significant differences in the types of milk consumed were observed, with whole milk being preferred in Mexico, semi-skimmed in Chile, and skimmed in Argentina. Gender also played a role in shaping milk consumption habits, as men favor whole milk, while women opt for skimmed and semi-skimmed variants. A notable 75% of respondents were willing to pay a premium for healthier milk, indicating a market opportunity for premium dairy products with improved fat profiles.
Despite the observed differences, most respondents held neutral or positive views on the healthiness of milk fat, linking nutritional value and energy supply. The best-known milk fat component in Argentina was omega-6 while Chilean consumers were less familiar and Mexican consumers, on the other hand, favoring monounsaturated fats. These findings highlight the importance of understanding regional consumer preferences to inform targeted marketing strategies and policies that address sector challenges, such as low raw milk pricing.
The knowledge of other fat components in dairy products remained consistent low across the studied countries. Building upon this study, future research endeavors that encompass an investigation into lifestyle-related variables – including beliefs, norms, and values tied to individual health and environmental concerns – could substantially enrich the profiling of Latin American consumers and elucidate the determinants of their purchasing behavior for dairy products.
Supplementary material
The supplementary material for this article can be found at https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022029925100927.
