Consumer demands for food are determined by a wide variety of factors including: taste acceptability, whether the product is easily available, perceptions of quality and the price. Over time demands change as the determining factors (above) alter. Milk is a perishable food which is purchased daily and therefore is particularly susceptible to changes in demand. Furthermore, because of the large size of the milk industry in Britain, any relatively small percentage change in consumer demand can result in substantial alterations to the volume consumed.