Trust is a Dairy Superpower

Dairy Defined:

Trust is a Dairy Superpower

August 5, 2024

What makes dairy so valued that milk alone is in 94 percent of U.S. refrigerators? Nutrition is one factor. So is affordability. But perhaps the greatest value is one that data supports: People trust it.

The dairy checkoff's latest consumer perception tracker, conducted by Kantar Group, shows just how much confidence dairy has from consumers - and it's a great contrast to the loud braying of the anti-dairy fringe, which takes up more brain space among the sane and grounded than should. Rated on a 1-7 scale of trust, with 1 being none and 7 being total, 58 percent of consumers rated dairy at 5 or above, according to the nationally representative sample of consumers aged 13-65.

That same survey, conducted last November and December, showed 35 percent either strongly or completely trusting dairy, shown by ratings of 6 and 7. That high trust level held across generations. Baby boomers led at 38 percent of strong or complete trust; Generation X, a cohort famed for trusting no one, was lowest at 33 percent. And the future looks stable and bright. About 34 percent of teenagers strongly or completely trusted dairy, with young adults at 35 percent and Millennials at 36. And again, these were the highest ratings of trust - including less-fervent support, clear majorities spanned generations.

Dairy also did well when compared with other foods and industries. Dairy's 58 percent trust level compares well with beef (53), almonds (51), tech (53, sorry Zuckerberg and Musk) and finance (43 - with apologies to Wall Street).

To sum up: In an increasingly fractured climate plagued by misinformation, dairy continues to attract broad-based support across wide swathes of society. In a superpower nation where trust is declining, dairy has its own superpower - trust from consumers that remains strong.

Pretty heavy stuff, when you think about it. But dairy can carry the load, with unparalleled nutrition, uncommon consumer reach and high levels of consumer trust. It's a refreshing situation, appropriate for refreshing products.