6 MILLION BRITONS CRYING OVER LACK OF ORGANIC MILK
This press release was posted on : 30th August 2002
Six million people in the UK are unable to buy the organic milk they want through lack of availability on the high street - despite a nation-wide surplus which is threatening the future of the UK's organic dairy farmers - an independent NOP poll found today.
The poll - conducted by NOP for OMSCo, the leading UK organic dairy farmers cooperative - shows there is huge latent demand for organic milk amongst a significant proportion of the adult population.
The news comes at a time when British organic dairy farmers are experiencing a nation-wide surplus, and are being forced to sell over half of their milk into the conventional market because of perceived lack of demand.
The current surplus would be taken up if 1.9 million consumers were always able to find and buy organic milk. This additional milk being sold as organic, at organic premium prices, would safeguard the future of over 570 million square metres of organic countryside.
OMSCo, has responded to the survey by launching a campaign entitled "MOMA -Make Organic Milk Available!" The aim is to encourage retailers, restaurants, coffee shops, fast food stores and other outlets to give their customers the choice of organic dairy products.
David Whiting, Marketing Director of OMSCo comments:
"This independent survey shows there are millions of people who want to be able to buy organic milk and dairy products, and are prepared to pay a premium for them - but can't get them. We need a change of attitude on the high street - this would be good for consumers, good for retailers and good for British organic farmers.
"Organic farmers say 'no' to cows that graze on pastures treated with artificial pesticides, 'no' to feeding cows GM cattle feed, 'no' to the routine use of antibiotics and 'yes' to healthy food and good animal welfare.
"We are calling on the British public to support the MOMA campaign by asking for organic milk if they can't find it - whether in their local corner shop, garage, coffee bar, gym or restaurant."
Although many of the large supermarkets now stock some organic milk, research by OMSCo shows that it is not available from over a third of milkmen and over three-quarters of local shops and garages. And around half the supermarkets checked by a poll of consumers had organic milk poorly stocked, badly labelled or placed in an inappropriate location.
When a number of UK establishments including cafés, gyms, restaurants and shops were asked by OMSCo why they did not offer organic milk and dairy products, contradictorily to the research, one in three said they assumed there was little demand for it.
Consumers wanting more information on the MOMA campaign and how to get involved, can visit the OMSCo web-site on www.organicmilk.co.uk
ENDS
For more information please contact the 'Drink Organic' team at Grayling PR on 0117 922 7799.
Editors notes:
· Figures calculated using data for the UK adult population taken from National Statistics website: www.statistics.gov.uk, and working from the assumption that people buying milk consume on average ½ pint per day.
· The NOP survey found that 61% of adults could not always find organic milk where they shop and over a fifth of these would buy more if it was made more widely available. Regional figures are available.
OMSCo was formed in 1994 when five like-minded
organic dairy farmers joined forces to sell their organic milk. Now with around 500 members, OMSCo is the largest and longest established UK organic milk supplier.