Analytical Report - Flavoured milk drinks

Milk based drinks are an increasingly popular alternative to soft drinks, being seen as a "healthy" alternative. Most are sweetened with sugar only, as opposed to the majority of soft drinks which use artificial sweeteners. Few use artificial colours or preservatives, and many are low or reduced fat. Parents see this combination, together with a high calcium content, as desirable.

The last time Kent Trading Standards sampled such products was in August 2000, since when a large number of new products have come to market. That survey incorporated both flavoured milk drinks and "speciality" milk (eg "Organic", goat’s milk, and lactose-reduced milk) and only nine samples were of flavoured drinks. Only one problem was found with them (with the labelling of a mixed fruit flavoured milk drink), so it was decided to repeat the survey on a larger scale. The previous survey looked at fat, ash, protein and carbohydrate (and hence the accuracy of the nutritional information), and for the flavoured milks also examined sugars, sweeteners and artificial colours. The present survey examined the levels of lactose, from which the milk content may be estimated; calcium, as many made claims about their high calcium content, and artificial colours.

The 23 samples were taken from supermarkets and newsagents.

Summary of Results

It was not possible to check the milk content from the lactose content with any accuracy. A typical list of ingredients included skimmed milk, whole milk and skimmed milk powder. Typically, only one was QUIDed (Quantitive Ingredient Declaration) so assumptions had to be made about the relative proportions. Nevertheless, it was possible to state in all cases that the lactose content was consistent with the list of ingredients.

No artificial colours were found in any of the drinks, and none were declared.

In all cases where a claim was made that the drink was a rich or good source of calcium, this was justified. In cases where claims were not made, the calcium level was typical of milk.

Only one sample had a labelling fault. The required nutrition labelling was in a very small font, in black on a lilac background, and was not clearly legible.

The diversity of products sampled indicates that the market for flavoured milk drinks has increased substantially over the last few years. It is apparent that the cheaper end of the market is trying to reduce costs by substituting sweeteners for sugar, in the same way that the soft drink market has been changing. A future survey could therefore look at sweeteners and preservatives.

Report dated: May 2007