While Youth Drift Away from Pure Milk, Demand for Milk-Based Drinks Surges! About 1 in 3 Women in Their 20s and 30s View Milk as the 'Main Ingredient'

Human Data Laboratory Co., Ltd. (located in Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture), which operates 'My Life News', a portal site disseminating information on consumer health and lifestyle, conducted a survey among 1,200 men and women in their 20s to 50s nationwide. The survey investigated the positioning of milk in milk-based beverages (whether as a main or supporting ingredient) and the demand for milk-rich products. (Survey period: May 1 - May 2, 2026)

The survey revealed that over 40% of respondents 'rarely drink' pure milk. This indicates a reality where young people are moving away from milk, with those in their 20s and 30s having even fewer opportunities to consume it. Conversely, the findings suggested that a new perception is spreading, particularly among women in their 20s and 30s, regarding milk-based drinks like cafe lattes and milk teas. Instead of 'adding milk to coffee', they prefer 'adding flavor to milk', meaning they consider milk the main character.

Furthermore, the results showed an increasing frequency of choosing milk-rich products among those in their 20s and 30s, highlighting a growing demand for beverages that feature milk as the main ingredient, especially among younger generations.

Key Survey Results:

While young people are moving away from raw milk, demand for rich milk flavors is increasing - 43.6% of respondents 'rarely drink' milk. - 62.8% of total respondents drink milk 1-2 times a week or less. - By age group, 65.7% of people in their 20s and 64.7% in their 30s have few opportunities to drink milk.

Younger people, who drink less pure milk, tend to view milk as the 'main character' - 25.7% of total respondents view milk as the main character (using milk as the base). - This trend is prominent among young women: 36.0% of women in their 20s and 33.3% of women in their 30s fall into this category. - Young people seek to enjoy the taste of milk through beverages like lattes and milk teas rather than drinking pure milk.

Opportunities to order milk-rich products are higher among those in their 20s and 30s - 19.7% of total respondents reported an increase in ordering milk-rich products. - By age group, 24.0% of people in their 20s and 25.7% in their 30s (about 1 in 4) felt this increase.

'Milk-forward lattes' are supported for expectations of satisfaction, comfort, and nutrition - 49.5% find milk-forward lattes appealing. - Top reasons for appeal include 'expecting a rich and satisfying taste', 'feeling comforted and relaxed', and 'expecting nutritional benefits'.

Survey Summary:

● Is the 'departure from milk' progressing? 43.6% 'rarely drink' it, especially young people in their 20s and 30s. When asked about the frequency of drinking milk, 43.6% of men and women aged 20 to 50 answered that they 'rarely drink' it. Additionally, 62.8% reported drinking it 1-2 times a week or less (combining '1-2 times a week', 'a few times a month', and 'rarely drink').

Looking at age demographics, those who drink milk 1-2 times a week or less accounted for 65.7% of people in their 20s and 64.7% in their 30s, showing notably lower consumption in these groups.

● Shift from 'milk as a supporting role' to 'milk as the main character' spreads among young women. When asked whether they view milk as the main ingredient or a supporting one in milk-based beverages, 1 in 4 respondents (25.7%) answered that milk is the main ingredient.

Notably, 36.0% of women in their 20s and 33.3% in their 30s supported this view, making it especially pronounced among young women.

In contrast to the traditional perception of 'cutting coffee or tea with milk', there is a shift happening, primarily among the youth, towards 'adding flavors to a milk base'—recognizing milk as the star.

Reasons given by the 'milk as the main character' group included: - Because the flavors other than milk (like coffee or tea) feel strong (295 out of 308 people) - Because they can strongly feel the taste and richness of the milk (292 out of 308 people) - Because it just intuitively feels that way (281 out of 308 people)

● Demand for milk-rich beverages is on an upward trend, particularly among those in their 20s and 30s. Regarding the question of whether opportunities to order milk-rich products have increased, 19.7% of all respondents answered 'increased' or 'slightly increased'. By age group, this was 24.0% for the 20s and 25.7% for the 30s, exceeding the overall average and confirming higher demand among younger demographics.

● 42.7% of cafe latte lovers and 35.9% of milk tea lovers prefer 'strong milk flavor'. Continu