Supermarket chain Countdown is reporting a surge in consumer demand for alternative proteins. They have reported sales of dairy-free milk have risen 14 percent in the past six months, while the number of sales of dairy-free cheese had grown by more than 300 percent. The supermarket said in the last year, demand for plant-based vegan and vegetarian meal solutions had increased 36 percent. Countdown's General Manager of Food Quality and Sustainability Kiri Hannifin reports that they have seen a surge in popularity of different types of diets including flexitarian, vegetarian and vegan diets, as well as a more general consumer shift towards healthier foods. Ms Hannifin stated that there has been a growing retail trend in which people were interested in buying and eating food that was good for them and good for the environment.

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