“Our survey found that on average, the protein content for the plant-based products we looked at was less than the dairy products. The calcium content for plant-based milks and yoghurt was the same as their dairy counterparts but was lower for cheese.

“Because these products vary in nutritional content, I would advise people to check the labels and look for products containing sources of protein, that are unsweetened and fortified with calcium.

“To take plant-based alternatives to milk as an example, on average these had a third of the protein content of milk, while two thirds of the products surveyed were not a source of protein.

“This may be particularly important for those moving to vegetarian or vegan diets,” said Dr McGloin.

Current national healthy eating guidelines recommend three servings a day of milk yoghurt and cheese for adults, and five for children and young people aged 9-18, with reduced or low-fat varieties being advised.

The safefood research also found that one third of adults are now consuming plant-based alternatives to dairy products such as milk, cheese and yoghurt with more than 44% of people aged 15 to 24 being regular consumers of these products. Among people who choose these products, 20% did so because they considered them to be healthier.

When asked why they chose plant-based dairy alternatives, 20% said they did so because they regarded them as ‘healthier or better for me.’

Just under 18% said they did so because they ‘wanted a change or variety’ while 14% did so because of their own dairy intolerance or that of a family member.

According to industry estimates, the plant-based dairy alternative market in the UK is worth approximately €284m with the value of sales increasing by 299% over the previous two years.