Wanting to help lactose intolerant consumers get more out of their milk, Arla Sweden launched its new Mjölkdryck+ (translation: “Milk beverage +”) in May. Although only 6.8% of Swedes are lactose-intolerant, around 18% of total milk sales in Sweden are lactose-free. Swedish supermarkets have more space devoted to lactose-free products of all kinds than any European country, except Finland.

As this picture shows, the lactose-free section of any Swedish supermarket is extensive and has lactose-free versions of most popular products

Arla Mjölkdryck is a lactose-free milk that has been fortified to deliver 20% of the RDI of protein (14% more than regular lactose-free milk) 36% of the RDI of calcium and 40% of the RDI of vitamins B12 and D per 200 ml glass. It has just 0.7g fat and 5.4g protein per 100ml.

The higher protein content is said to aid in muscle maintenance while calcium is said to be good for bone health, vitamin B12 for energy and vitamin D for immune health. These three claims are all approved generic claims in Europe.

Promoted with the tagline "live life to the fullest", Arla positions the product as a way to maximise milk’s already excellent nutrition profile. It is said to be “perfect for those who want to make small changes that have a big impact”.

“It’s difficult to have time for everything these days, so we want to make it easier for people to get more out of their food and drink. Milk is a fantastic product that contains lots of nutrients, why not maximise that? Do less, get more,” says Sandra Eriksson, Brand Manager for Arla Sweden’s lactose-free business.

With a retail price of SEK 21.50 ($2.07/€1.90) per litre, the milk is approximately 5% more expensive than Arla’s regular lactose-free milk and more expensive than most other non-organic lactose-free milk products on the Swedish market.