Arla Foods Ingredients’ infant formula survey prioritizes immunity and healthy growth

DENMARK – A survey of pregnant women and mothers has revealed that growth and immunity health benefits most likely influence mothers’ purchases of infant or toddler formula. The survey, commissioned by Arla Foods Ingredients, included 6,800 women from 13 countries.

As key factors influencing purchasing decisions, 40% of the women named quality, 40% mentioned nutrients and ingredients, and 30% pointed to health and safety. All these factors ranked higher than price or brand. 

From a list of health benefits, 61% of the participants chose healthy growth as the most important, followed by immunity (56%) and gut comfort (44%). 

Meanwhile, only half of the women surveyed could name any ingredients in infant formula. When prompted, there was high awareness of lactose, followed by probiotics, milk fat, and plant proteins. 

“Although the names of specific ingredients aren’t top of mind for most mothers, it’s clear that when they’re shopping for formula, they’re thinking about health, safety, and nutritional quality more than factors like price or brand,” said Viorela Andreea Indolean, industry marketing manager Early Life Nutrition at Arla Foods Ingredients. 

Infant formula awareness

The survey, conducted by YouGov, included at least 500 women per country in France, Germany, Poland, the UK, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Brazil, Mexico, and the USA. 

Mothers in Asian countries, specifically China, had a higher than average awareness of preference for specialized protein ingredients, such as alpha-lactalbumin, whey protein hydrolysate, and MFGM.  

In addition, women in the survey pointed to pediatricians as the most reliable sources of information on infant formula. 

Nutritional information was the highest priority in product labeling. Survey participants saw this as more important than indications of organic status or sustainability-related features.

Moreover, six in ten respondents had switched formula brands at least once, most commonly for tolerance issues. 

Indolean added, “The goal of this research was to explore awareness of formula products, as well as the way priorities and preferences vary between markets. We hope these insights will be valuable for manufacturers — in terms of understanding what parents want from formula products and improving their understanding of the ingredients they contain.”

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