Abstract/Summary

This study examined the relationship between consumers’ country of origin [Denmark (DK), the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US)] on their knowledge and perceptions towards milk fat. Adult participants answered a web-based survey (SurveyXact) and data was collected online from Dec 2018 to Apr 2019, in DK, the UK, and the US. A total of 694 participants completed the online survey. Most respondents were between 18-39 years old, female, high educated and employed. Most UK respondents consumed milk daily (73%), whereas in DK (56%) and the US (46%) this was significantly lower (P <0.001). Whole milk and semi-skimmed milk is consumed less (P = 0.006) by respondents in DK (20% and 36% respectively) compared to the UK (50% and 49% respectively) and the US (47% and 50% respectively). DK respondents (53%) consumed more (P <0.001) skimmed milk than in the UK (16%) and the US (19%). Concern about milk fat was higher (P <0.001) in DK (60%) than in the UK (34%) and the US (31%). More respondents considered milk fat as ´healthy´ or ´very healthy´ in the UK (31% vs. 10% respectively) and the US (37% vs. 19% respectively), than in DK (23% vs. 6% respectively). Nutritional benefit was the most important reason for perceiving milk fat as healthy in the three countries. Awareness of milk saturated fat was higher (P = 0.008) among UK respondents (53%) than in DK (44%) and the US (38%). Results suggest that consumers in DK are different in their perception towards milk fat, while consumers in the UK and the US share common characteristics.