5 simple ways to support British dairy farmers

The agricultural and national press have been full of stories about milk prices protests this week.

The #milktrolleychallenge campaign and protests outside processors and retailers have been raising awareness of the problem, but consumers want to know what they should be doing to support the British dairy industry.

Here are five simple ways to make a difference.

Buy British

It is easier to remember to buy British milk, but don’t forget the cream, butter, yoghurt, cheese and custard too. You can even buy British brie and camembert.

© Food and Drink/REX Shutterstock

Look out for the Red Tractor

Look out for the Red Tractor logo on all dairy products you buy. This stamp means they can be traced back to a British farm.

© E. M. Welch/REX Shutterstock

Pick your retailer

The National Farmers Union says: “The Co-operative, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose are presently supporting farmers by paying them an increasingly fair and transparent price for milk. There are other retailers the NFU believes should do much more to support British farmers.”

Make enquiries

Find someone at management level in the supermarket or shop and ask them where they source their dairy produce from and if they pay fair prices for it. Tell them you would like British goods. If you can, why not buy your dairy produce from the local farm shop or milk man, so it is easier to find out where it is from.

© David Pearson/REX Shutterstock

Spread the word

Share this story on social media as well as videos, posts, tweets and stories that will help raise awareness of the problem and how consumers can do their bit.

Download, distribute and share this poster we have created (PDF).