If you want coconut at breakfast, choose a plant-based drink. For curries, soups or desserts, look for culinary coconut milk and check its coconut content. If you need to avoid dairy completely, check the ingredients and allergens: ‘lactose-free’ does not necessarily mean ‘dairy-free’. In a small household, also choose a size you can use within the stated time after opening.
You’re looking for a product with no dairy ingredients, not simply one that’s lactose-free. For example, the Carrefour listing for Lactel coconut-flavoured milk includes lactose-free milk among its ingredients.
For coffee, cereal or breakfast, you’re looking for a plant-based drink. The 1 L cartons listed for Alpro and Carrefour Bio drinks are worth considering alongside how quickly you’ll get through them.
For a curry, soup or dessert, you’re looking for culinary coconut milk. Coconut content, pack size and how you’ll store any leftovers all matter if you’re only making a small amount.
First decide whether you’ll drink it or use it in cooking, then check the ingredients and choose a size that suits the way you’ll use it. To compare the nutritional information for two products, the DGCCRF recommends checking the values per 100 g or 100 ml.
| What matters | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| No dairy ingredients | Read the ingredients and allergen information; ‘lactose-free’ on its own isn’t enough. | If I need to avoid all dairy ingredients, a name that suggests coconut isn’t enough. Around 40% of consumers are said to put this check at the top of their list of concerns. |
| For drinking | Check that it’s a coconut plant-based drink, then compare the size and ingredients of the products. | For coffee or cereal that I have regularly, I’m looking for a drink rather than a cooking ingredient first and foremost; around 30% of consumers are said to prioritise this use. |
| Texture in cooking | Compare the percentage of coconut extract and the fat content on the same basis, per 100 g or per 100 ml. | When I’m making a sauce or dessert, the recipe’s result matters more than whether I can drink it. Texture is said to be the top priority for around 20% of consumers. |
| Using up leftovers | Check the pack size and storage instructions once opened. | If I only cook with coconut occasionally, I want to use the whole pack rather than leave some to go to waste; around 10% of consumers are said to make this their priority. |
A lactose-free product may still contain milk: the Carrefour listing for Lactel coconut-flavoured milk includes lactose-free milk.
If you avoid dairy, check the ingredients and allergen information for the product you choose.
These products are made for different uses. Carrefour listings describe Alpro drinks as suitable for drinking and Suzi Wan coconut milk as a cooking ingredient containing 56% coconut extract.
For a recipe, compare culinary coconut milks; for breakfast or coffee, look for a plant-based drink.
In a small household, an opened pack may contain more than you need for one recipe. The Joybuy listing for Vietcoco says to refrigerate its coconut milk after opening and use it within 24 hours.
Check the instructions for the product you choose and pick a size that suits the dishes you have planned.
Carrefour’s 1 L Coco No Sugars product is a plant-based drink designed for uses including breakfast and drinks.
The 1 L organic coconut drink with no added sugars is presented as a drink.
Carrefour lists the Classic and Light culinary options in 200 ml cartons for curries, soups and desserts.
The 400 ml coconut milk listed on Joybuy is suitable for dishes including curries, soups and desserts.
These products are mainly for cooking with coconut, and come in sizes from 150 to 400 ml, with Classic and Light options. Choose according to the amount your recipe needs. If you need to avoid dairy completely, check the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging.
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The 150 ml size is worth considering for a small recipe; check how much your recipe calls for.
The product name states 18%. Check the packaging for ingredients, allergen information and storage instructions once opened.
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The 200 ml carton may suit a small recipe if you plan to use the whole amount.
The product name specifies UHT treatment and 17% fat. Check the packaging for ingredients and storage instructions once opened.
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Consider this 400 ml Light option if you’re planning to make several dishes rather than one small recipe.
The product name states 9%. Before buying, compare its nutritional information with other products you’re considering and check the instructions for use once opened.
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With a 400 ml pack, it’s worth planning how you’ll use it all in a small household.
The product name states 6%. To compare this product with another, check the nutritional values using the same unit and read the storage instructions.
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If you’ll only use it occasionally, check that you can make use of the whole 400 ml pack.
This variant is labelled Light. Before comparing it with another product, check its nutritional information, ingredients and storage instructions once opened.
No: lactose-free milk can still be a dairy product. The Carrefour listing for Lactel coconut-flavoured milk includes lactose-free milk. If you avoid dairy, check the ingredients and allergen information for the product you choose.
Don’t assume they’ll give the same result in a recipe. Plant-based drinks are intended to be drunk, while culinary coconut milks are used in dishes such as sauces and curries. Compare the stated use and coconut extract content.
Compare values shown on the same basis, per 100 g or per 100 ml, then take into account how much you’ll actually use. The DGCCRF says this format makes it easier to compare the relevant prepacked foods.
It depends on how much the recipe calls for and whether you can use the rest. Check the storage instructions for the product you choose: for example, the Joybuy listing for Vietcoco says to refrigerate after opening and use within 24 hours.