92% Say Plant-Based Drinks Are Easy to Digest and Danone Has Been Listening

New international research suggests the future of plant-based drinks may be less about replacing milk and more about how food makes us feel.

For years, plant-based dairy has been sold on what it doesn't contain. No cows. No lactose. Less environmental baggage. But new research involving 42,000 consumers across 14 countries suggests something more personal is driving the market. People want food that agrees with them. And Danone has been listening.

Research conducted with Ipsos found 55% of surveyed consumers incorporated plant-based dairy alternatives into their diets. Health was a leading motivation at 42%, followed by taste at 35%, naturalness at 34% and ease of digestion at 32%.

But here's the figure that caught our attention.

In a separate survey of around 2,500 regular plant-based drink consumers across the US, UK and Germany, 92% said these drinks were easy to digest, while 88% described them as light on the stomach. That's a powerful message for an industry still wrestling with how to communicate its value beyond replacing conventional dairy.

The Gut Is Becoming a Selling Point

Digestive comfort is increasingly influencing food choices, particularly among consumers experiencing digestive discomfort or food intolerances.

And this isn't simply a vegan story.

Flexitarians and omnivores are also choosing plant-based alternatives, often because they perceive them as gentler on digestion.

Younger consumers are helping drive adoption, with 63% of Gen Z and 62% of Millennials reporting plant-based consumption.

Importantly, these findings reflect consumer perceptions, not clinically proven digestive benefits. Feeling better after consuming a product doesn't automatically establish improved gut health.

Beyond the Protein Obsession

Danone's research also points towards fibre, a nutrient frequently overshadowed by the industry's relentless protein messaging.

The opportunity lies in combining protein, fibre, essential micronutrients and digestive comfort in convenient everyday products.

For manufacturers, taste remains essential. But the next competitive advantage may come from how comfortably a product fits into people's daily lives.

The PFN View

Perhaps the plant-based industry has spent too long telling consumers what they should stop eating rather than understanding what they actually want to feel.

Danone's findings suggest the opportunity isn't necessarily persuading everyone to abandon dairy. It's giving them another reason to choose plants.

And if that reason is a happier stomach, the industry may finally have found a message reaching well beyond the vegan aisle.

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