Which Oat Milk Is The Best? 13 Milks Rated

Wondering which oat milk is the best? I’ve rated 13 of the most widely available oat milk brands in the UK, both in terms of taste and ethics, to help you find the best milk for you.

Which oat milk is the best? I have been asked this very question with increasing frequency. Especially so after some news stories broke a couple of years ago linking a certain oat milk company to deforestation in the Amazon. There’s more on this deeper in the article, so do keep reading.

We made the switch to oat milk for all our dairy needs quite some years ago now. In our quest to find the best oat milk, we have tried just about every oat milk going.

In this article, let me run you through the thirteen most widely available oat milk brands in the UK. I’ll let you know what I think about the taste, and look into the ethics behind each brand, to help you decide which oat milk is the best.

Maybe grab a hot beverage – perhaps a plastic-free cup of tea – because it’s going to be a big one!

Why Oat Milk?

First off, you might be wondering why I’m focusing on oat milk and not other non-dairy alternatives.

Whilst non-dairy alternatives can be made from a variety of crops, some are more problematic than others.

Almond and rice are water-thirsty crops. Almonds alone require more water than any other dairy alternative, consuming 130 pints of water to produce a single glass of almond milk.

Coconut milk also has its problems. As the demand for coconut milk has grown, this has led to deforestation and the exploitation of workers.

Oats, on the other hand, tend to be grown in cooler climates such as the northern US, Canada, and Europe. Therefore, oats are not associated with deforestation in developing countries. Oats also require considerably less water than almonds and rice to produce a glass of milk.

Which Oat Milk Is the Best?

Now let’s focus on the oat milk brands. This list is in alphabetical order, rather than in order of best to worst. You’ll soon see why.

Alpro

I have tried a few of Alpro’s oat milk offerings. Their regular oat milk (£1.95 for 1 litre) is too thin and too sweet for my taste. I can tolerate it in cereal or porridge, just about. However, in tea and coffee, it’s a no-go for me.

Meanwhile, the Alpro barista oat milk (£2.05 for 1 litre) was way too sweet, and I definitely expected a lot more creaminess to it than what it offered.

In terms of ethics, Alpro is owned by Danone, one of the major European dairy players. Danone has a 26% share in the global fresh dairy products market. Their fresh dairy products account for €11bn of their total sales, whilst bottled water accounts for €4.7bn of their total sales. Let’s just say it’s an uncomfortable contradiction, buying oat milk (particularly if you are buying oat milk as an environmental choice) knowing that you are supporting big dairy AND bottled water.

Aldi

Aldi’s Pro Nature Only Oat Milk (75p for 1 litre) is a basic oat milk – containing only oats and milk. It’s not fortified with any vitamins or minerals, like some of the other oat milk brands, which is something to bear in mind if fortification is important to you.

As you might expect from oat milk made from just oats and water, there isn’t a whole lot going on. It’s not sweet, just oaty, but I personally found this milk a bit too thin and watery for my tastes. However, in terms of price, it’s the cheapest oat milk I’ve found. And due to its low ingredient list, then it could be a great choice for those that are intolerant to some additives.

When I was updating this post in March 2023, I found that Aldi no longer sells this milk. Instead, it offers this Acti Leaf UHT Oat Drink (£1.09 for 1 litre), which is made in the UK. It’s also fortified with Vitamin B12, Vitamin B2, and Vitamin D. I’ll be sure to update further once I’ve given it a try.

In terms of ethics, Aldi does not fare so well. It comes lowest in the list of Oxfam’s 2020 human rights ratings of UK supermarkets. In terms of the environment, it’s a little more positive, as it has a commitment to reduce the volume of plastic packaging used by 50% by 2025. However, this is a non-binding commitment.

Asda Oat Milk

Asda’s own brand UHT oat milk (£1.45 for 1 litre) is, for me, the best budget oat milk. Not too thick, not too thin, it has the perfect consistency for tea, coffee, and cereal. It has a great taste – not too sweet, and not too over-powering. What’s more, it’s fortified with calcium, vitamin D2, vitamin B12, and iodine.

Asda’s own brand of fresh oat milk (£1.20 for 1 litre), on the other hand, is a complete abomination. How Asda can get its UHT milk so right, but its fresh milk so wrong is beyond me. I think it tastes like a wax crayon. Oat milk should never taste like wax crayon. Whoever has made it clearly hasn’t tasted it. Avoid at all costs.

In terms of ethics, Asda was owned by US behemoth Walmart for 21 years. In 2020, a majority stake was bought by UK-based Issa Brothers, the billionaire owners of the Lancashire-based petrol forecourt firm EG Group. Walmart retains a minority stake in the business.

Ethical Consumer has highlighted a number of issues under Walmart ownership. From slavery in the Walmart supply chain to accusations of discrimination by Asda employees. It will be interesting to see if things change under new ownership. 

Innocent

What about Innocent’s oat milk (£1.75 for 750ml)? Well, the positive is that it comes in a plastic bottle, which is easier to recycle than the tetra-paks that all the other brands of oat milk come in. The negative is that Innocent oat milk does not taste good. It’s so thin and watery and, frankly, does a disservice to oats. I couldn’t even finish the carton. This oat milk has now been discontinued, so clearly I wasn’t the only one to dislike this one!

In terms of how ethical Innocent is, it’s a dismal picture. Innocent is owned by Coca-Cola. In 2009, Coca-Cola bought a 20% share in Innocent, and then in 2013 it took full ownership.

Ethical Consumer Magazine’s research into Coca-Cola highlights several ethical issues. These include issues related to climate change, habitats and resources, palm oil, pollution and toxins, human rights, workers’ rights, irresponsible marketing, animal rights, controversial technologies, anti-social finance, and political activities. 

Jord Oat Milk

Full disclosure – I haven’t actually tried out Jord Oat Milk as I haven’t been able to find it in my local supermarket. However, a reader asked me what I knew about Jord, as they found it was their preferred oat milk, taste-wise.

While I personally haven’t tried Jord’s oat milk, I do know that Jord is owned by a company called Arla. Arla is a huge Danish-Swedish multi-national dairy company. The fifth-largest dairy company in the world, in fact. So again, if you’re looking for an oat milk that doesn’t support the dairy industry then it’s not Jord.

An article published on Unearthed – Greenpeace’s journalism project – in 2021 links Arla’s cow milk suppliers to catastrophic deforestation in the Brazilian rainforest.

Lidl Oat Milk

Lidl’s Unsweetened Oat Milk (£1.09 for 1 litre) is similar to Aldi’s oat milk. Both in terms of minimal ingredients, and the fact it has no added vitamins or minerals.

The milk itself is thin and watery, and not particularly creamy. In terms of taste, it’s not sweet, which is a big plus point for me. It’s acceptable in tea. However, because of its thin consistency, it did not make for a pleasant cup of coffee or bowl of cereal.

If you are a tea drinker looking for basic milk at a more affordable price, then this is a good option, otherwise, I would avoid this one.

Ethics-wise, Ethical Consumer Magazine research has highlighted several ethical issues with Lidl. These include issues under the banners of climate change, habitats and resources, pollution, human rights, workers’ rights, anti-social finance, animal rights, controversial technologies, political activities, anti-social finance, and factory farming. 

Moma

I finally found Moma oat milk in my local Sainsbury’s in January 2022. I’ve had many requests from readers to write about Moma, so it was an exciting day to find this. Priced at £1.60 for 1 litre, it’s pleasant tasting – not overpowering – and makes a perfect cup of tea and coffee.

I was impressed until I did a little digging into Moma. Moma’s porridge is made with dairy products, so Moma is not a dairy-free company. Meanwhile, in December 2021 it was announced that Scottish soft drinks manufacturer AG Barr was purchasing the Moma brand. AG Barr produces bottled water as part of its portfolio of drinks, which isn’t a great environmental choice to support.

Morrisons Oat Milk

Morrisons’ own brand UHT oat milk (£1.49 for 1 litre) is high up there in my opinion. It’s got a good creaminess to it and the perfect consistency. It’s not too sweet, and it’s enriched with calcium, Vitamin E, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B2, and Vitamin D. Go for the long life, rather than the fresh stuff. We did not enjoy their fresh oat milk. At all. It’s similar to Asda’s fresh oat milk, in that it tastes of wax crayon.

As far as supermarkets go, I quite like Morrisons. It seems quite progressive when it comes to plastic packaging, and tackling food waste. In 2019, it was named the UK’s most environmentally responsible retailer. However, in the same year, Oxfam alleged human rights abuse in the Morrisons supply chain, so it’s clear it has some way to go.

Minor Figures

Minor Figures Barista Oat Milk (£2.10 for 1 litre) is the latest oat milk that I have tried in my quest for the best oat milk.

I do like this one. This milk is made in the UK. It doesn’t separate in coffee. It’s got a good consistency. It’s got a good taste, and it is enriched with calcium. The only thing I don’t find stands up is the claim from Minor Figures that it is foamable. The milk just does not give a good foam compared to Oatly Barista – it’s a much thinner milk.

With regards to ethics, in 2019 Minor Figures sold a near 20% stake in their company to an anonymous US-based private investment fund. Who this private investment is from, Minor Figures are staying tight-lipped about it, other than the fact that the investor has a number of investments in the plant-based space. What they may also invest in is unknown.

Oatly

Oatly has a few different types of oat milk available. In my opinion, the best one is Oatly Barista (£1.99 for 1 litre). A nice creamy milk, I find I need to use a lot less of this milk in my beverages to get them to the desired colour. Oatly Barista also makes a mean frothy coffee.

Ethics-wise, it’s complicated. In 2020, Oatly sold a stake in the company to Blackstone, a private equity group. However, Less Waste Laura linked Blackstone to a controversial Brazilian infrastructure investment that has been accused of contributing to deforestation in the Amazon.

Blackstone has denied having all links to deforestation. However, notwithstanding that accusation, Blackstone’s CEO Stephen Schwarzman has been a prominent Wall Street supporter of Donald Trump, donating $3m to support the president’s re-election. It certainly leaves a bad taste in your mouth.

Provamel

Provamel milk (£2.40 for 1 litre) is not my milk of choice. Weak and watery, it makes a pretty insipid cup of tea. It did not fare well in coffee either.

Whilst all of Provamel’s products are organic and GMO-free, Provamel, has since 2016 been owned by Danone. This ownership is troubling. Read more in the Alpro section of this guide to best oat milk, if you want to know more about Danone.

Provitamil

I bought a carton of Provitamil (£1.69 for one litre) when my local shop was all out of all other brands of oat milk. This should really have been a sign that perhaps this brand of oat milk was not up to scratch. But what can I say, when the choice was this or black tea then there are always tough decisions to be made.

I found Provitamil watery and weak. You could pour in a quarter of a carton and it wouldn’t change the colour of the tea. I switched to mint tea during this sad time, because I could not bear this milk.

Provitamil is made in the UK and is part of the Drinks Brokers Ltd portfolio of brands. Within Drinks Brokers Ltd’s portfolio is their own brand cows milk and Springwise Bottled Water. If you’re looking for vegan milk that doesn’t support the dairy industry or the bottled water industry, then I’m afraid it’s not this one.

Rude Health

Rude Health Oat Milk (£2.20 for 1 litre) is another oat milk that I struggled with the texture and consistency. It’s just too thin and takes a lot of milk to get my tea to the desired colour. I seem to go through a lot more milk when I use this brand. This isn’t great when it’s one of the more expensive oat milks around.

In 2019 PepsiCo acquired a minority 9% stake in Rude Health. Whilst this minority share means PepsiCo won’t have much sway in Rude Health’s operations, PepsiCo has in the past been accused of human rights violations.

Are There Other Oat Milk Options?

If you want to opt out of buying pre-made oat milk, one option would be to make your own oat milk. Personally, I’ve not had much success in doing so. It’s a bit of a faff and can be a bit slimy. However, once I find a good technique I’ll be sure to share it here on the blog.

Another option, if it is available to you, is to support local producers making and selling their own oat milk.

One example of this is The Butterfly Effect in Insch, Aberdeenshire. Its milk comes in glass bottles, which you can return for a refill, making it a more circular option. I think this would be a wonderful step forward for our local economies. It’s also something that I hope really catches on around the country.

Since writing this article, I also wanted to update you that I have switched to getting my oat milk delivered. I get Oato fresh oat milk, which is made in the UK and comes delivered to my door in returnable glass bottles. It tastes lovely and doesn’t curdle or split in tea or coffee, which is a win. Oato says that “we don’t have a history in the dairy industry and do not have any large investors with questionable portfolios or motives. We’re a small, UK business and proud of it.”

I sometimes have issues in the summer with keeping my oat milk deliveries cool, but I found a useful milk hack, in case you have the same problem.

Is Any Oat Milk Ethical?

As you’ve read, there are many issues. From big dairy to big investors with dubious portfolios, to anonymous investors, and big supermarket chains with dubious supply chains. As such, it’s really tough to say which is the most ethical oat milk. Each brand has its own issues.

Personally? I would buy whatever oat milk is easily available to you at the price point you can afford, and the taste you enjoy. Why do I think this? Well, what I think this article highlights is the limitation of green consumerism.

More people are switching from dairy to non-dairy alternatives because of concerns about climate change. And yes, this undoubtedly helps the environment. However, green consumerism on its own won’t save us from climate change. When a green product that we buy is used to possibly help fund the dairy industry, the bottled water industry, other non-green investments, or to line the pockets of shareholders then green consumerism cannot be the answer to climate change.

Oats and Activism

This is not to say that I don’t think that green consumerism doesn’t work at all. I just think it needs to be coupled with green activism to bring about systems change.

Elizabeth Cline addresses this extensively in this article for Atmos – where she writes: “We must not mistake Ethical Consumption—a private act—for political power or organized, collective social change that benefits everyone. When we retreat into our Ethical Consumer bubbles, some of the most powerful institutions in our society get a free pass to run roughshod over people who don’t have the market choices we do“.

So drink oat milk. But also, where you can, also campaign for better policies and regulations that align with your ethics. I’m reading my way through this book at the moment to help me understand more about effective activism.

PS: Whilst we’re on the subject of oat milk and hot beverages, you might also like my articles on is there plastic in your tea, and plastic-free instant coffee. And to help reduce food waste, here’s my article on freezing oat milk.