Dairy and Plant-Based Dairy Alternatives Purchasing Habits of Guelph-Based Families with Preschool-Aged Children

Publication: Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research
4 June 2020

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate dairy and plant-based dairy alternatives (DPBDA) purchasing habits, including comparisons among locations of purchase and among subtypes of DPBDA, of families with preschool-aged children.
Methods: Expenditures on food and DPBDA were calculated using grocery and food receipts collected for 3 weeks from 51 households in and around Guelph, Ontario, Canada. DPBDA were coded by subtypes (alternatives, cheese/yogurt, cow’s milk, cream, and ice cream/other) and by locations of purchase, which were coded as big-box, discount, high-end, local/other, and midrange stores. Logistic regression using generalized estimating equations was used to investigate odds of purchasing DPBDA by location of purchase. All models included family income and number of children as potential confounders.
Results: Ninety-eight percent of families purchased cheese/yogurt, 92% purchased cow’s milk, and 35% of families purchased plant-based dairy alternatives. Families were more likely to purchase DPBDA from big-box stores than discount, midrange, or local/other stores (P < 0.01) and were more likely to purchase cheese/yogurt than dairy alternatives, cream, or ice cream/other subtypes (P < 0.01). Odds of purchasing were not different between cheese/yogurt and cow’s milk.
Conclusion: Families’ DPBDA purchasing habits differ by purchase location and subtype. Further research is warranted to understand the factors affecting these purchasing habits.

Résumé

Objectif. Explorer les habitudes d’achat de produits laitiers et de substituts de produits laitiers à base de plantes (PLSPLBP), y compris les lieux d’achat et les sous-types de PLSPLBP, par des familles ayant des enfants d’âge préscolaire.
Méthodes. Les dépenses en aliments et en PLSPLBP ont été calculées à partir de factures d’épicerie et d’aliments recueillies pendant 3 semaines auprès de 51 ménages de Guelph, Ontario, Canada, et des environs. Les PLSPLBP ont été classés par sous-types (substituts, fromage/yogourt, lait de vache, crème et crème glacée/autres) et par lieux d’achat, selon le type de magasin : entrepôt, de rabais, haut de gamme, local/autres et milieu de gamme. La régression logistique misant sur des équations d’estimation généralisées a été employée pour explorer les probabilités d’achat de PLSPLBP selon le lieu d’achat. Tous les modèles incluaient le revenu familial et le nombre d’enfants comme facteurs de confusion potentiels.
Résultats. Parmi ces familles, 98 % ont acheté du fromage/yogourt, 92 % ont acheté du lait de vache et 35 % ont acheté des substituts de produits laitiers à base de plantes. Ces familles étaient plus susceptibles d’acheter des PLSPLBP dans des magasins-entrepôt que dans des magasins à rabais, des magasins de milieu de gamme ou des magasins locaux/autres (P < 0,01). Elles étaient aussi plus susceptibles d’acheter du fromage/yogourt que des substituts de produits laitiers, de la crème ou de la crème glacée/autres sous-types (P < 0,01). Les probabilités d’achat n’étaient pas différentes pour le fromage/yogourt et le lait de vache.
Conclusions. Les habitudes d’achat des familles en ce qui concerne les PLSPLBP diffèrent selon le sous-type de produit et le lieu d’achat. D’autres recherches seront nécessaires pour comprendre les facteurs qui influent sur ces habitudes d’achat.

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Financial support: This project was supported by a grant from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs (Grant 100-017075-000000-800003).
Conflict of interest: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

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Information & Authors

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Published In

cover image Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research
Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research
Volume 81Number 4December 2020
Pages: 215 - 217

History

Version of record online: 4 June 2020

Authors

Affiliations

Amar Laila MSc
Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON
Gerarda Darlington PhD
Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON
Alison M. Duncan PhD, RD
Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON
Jess Haines PhD, RD
Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON
David W.L. Ma PhD
Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON
Michael Von Massow PhD
Department of Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON
Angela Wallace MSc, RD
Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON
Genevieve Newton PhD
Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON
Andrea C. Buchholz PhD, RD
Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON

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