Tesco To Use Only UK Milk In Private Label Yoghurts

The local dairy farmers warn that they will go out of business if they do not receive higher prices for their milk.

Tesco has pledged to switch to British milk for its own label yoghurts and is considering making further changes to support British dairy farmers. The firm currently uses milk from Germany in its yoghurts. Last week Aldi, Lidl, Asda and Morrisons agreed to increase the amount they pay for milk.

“It is in everyone’s interest that supermarkets, caterers and the food industry have a security of supply of milk”. Truss has said she will push for the creation of a new futures and insurance market in dairy products that could shield farmers from price fluctuations.

But industry leaders still want the supermarket to roll out that well-regarded policy to other dairy products. “I have invited the dairy industry to play a bigger role in future trade missions, including my trip to China in the autumn where there is growing demand for quality British produce”.

In a statement, FFA described the Tesco meeting as “very, very positive”.

In its announcement, FFA said the retailer had given it a “categorical assurance that by March 2016 all their own-label yoghurt will be made with British milk”. The action included a 1,000-strong protest at the company’s Somerset distribution depot and “trolley challenges” at several stores in which milk was taken from the shelves before being dumped or given away for a donation to charity.

The FFA is scheduled to hold talks with Asda on Thursday about the amount of lamb it is importing from New Zealand.

Mr Handley urged supporters of the Working Group that has come together to lobby on the dairy crisis to avoid protesting in any form at Tescos while these negotiations are continuing.

The price paid to its 13,500 members, including 3,000 in the UK, will remain at 23.01p/litre – some welcome stability after a 0.8p/litre drop in August.

Angry at the low cost of milk, dairy farmers in the UK have been pouring milk on their heads, to highlight how little it is currently worth.