According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, nearly 36% of the American population have lactose malabsorption, making it harder for them to digest lactose, enjoy dairy products that contain lactose, and benefit from those products’ unique nutrient contributions. That does not mean these Americans should avoid dairy. Unless you have a milk or dairy allergy, you can still enjoy the delicious taste and nutritional benefits of lactose-free milk and dairy product, which contain nearly identical nutrient levels as products that contain lactose.
The U.S. dairy industry in recent years has made the development of new lactose-free dairy products a priority, and these products now abound in retail establishments across the United States. IDFA and the dairy industry are committed to ensuring Americans have access to these products in all the places they access their nutrition, from school meals to government assistance programs to foodservice establishments like restaurants.
IDFA advocates for the U.S. government to promote the availability of lactose-free dairy products to Americans. We support having the Dietary Guidelines for Americans report strongly endorse and promote lactose-free as an option for those who cannot consume traditional dairy. We support making lactose-free options more available in schools. Currently, less than 1% of milk sold in schools is lactose-free.
We also support lactose-free options as part of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) food package, and we support lactose-free options as part of the Healthy Fluid Milk Incentive (HFMI) Projects.
The lactose-free market is booming, offering a variety of products like milk, yogurt, cheese, and ice cream that tastes great and delivers big nutrition without discomfort. This is especially important for communities with higher lactose sensitivity rates, such as Black Americans, as dairy consumption is linked to lower risks of health issues like type 2 diabetes. Unfortunately, according to research by the International Food Information Council (IFIC), two in three Americans say they’ve never consumed lactose-free milk (64%), lactose-free flavored milk (76%), or other lactose-free dairy options other than milk (68%). Avoiding dairy may result in lower intake of nutrients that are part of a healthy diet, including calcium, protein, and vitamin D.
An analysis of lactose-free sales done by PRIME Consulting shows lactose-free options represented 5.7% of all milk volume sales in 2023 across retail and institutions, representing the largest share of lactose-free volume sales in history. However, sales of lactose-free milk in schools were only 0.6% of all milk sales in schools. Sales of lactose-free milk in schools increased from 0.2% in 2022 to 0.6% in 2023, as school milk processors make new products available to schools to meet the needs and preferences of American students.
Morning Consult polling commissioned by IDFA shows many Americans are unaware about the availability of lactose-free milk options in public places like grocery stores, schools and hospitals. A large majority of Americans across the political spectrum support IDFA’s position that the U.S. government should fund efforts to ensure lactose-free milk availability and assist in educational initiatives about the benefits of lactose-free milk.
Vice President, Legislative Affairs
Executive Vice President, Chief Impact Officer
Associate Vice President, Regulatory Affairs and Nutrition
