Consumers urged to drink 1% fat milk

A campaign to get people to switch to 1% fat milk in order to reduce their intake of saturated fat has been launched by the Food Standards Agency.

The FSA has published research which shows people who regularly use semi-skimmed milk would be happy to switch to drinking 1% fat milk.

Dr Clair Baynton, head of nutrition at the FSA, said: “In the 1970s full-fat milk was very much the norm, but since then we have seen a decisive shift to semi-skimmed, which now outsells full-fat by quite a margin.

“1% fat milk still gives us the important nutritional benefits of milk, including calcium, protein, minerals and vitamins, but with half the fat of semi. Something that simple but beneficial has got to be worth trying.”

The agency’s UK-wide survey of consumer attitudes to 1% fat milk found that three-quarters of consumers liked the taste just as much as semi-skimmed.

The research involved an at-home trial period of about five days with households substituting semi-skimmed for 1% fat milk.

The messaging about milk forms the second phase of the FSA’s saturated fat campaign which had an initial launch in February last year.

This phase of the campaign, which features press, poster and radio advertising, centres on simple tips to help people cut down on saturated fat.

It includes a new print and poster ad that will encourage people to think about switching to 1% fat milk.

Jim Begg, director general of Dairy UK, welcomed the FSA’s move and said the research confirmed that milk was a very popular product.

“Lower fat milks contain as much calcium and protein as whole milk, and also provide many important vitamins. The range of milks now on offer gives consumers the choice of a product that suits their diet without compromising on nutrition.”