Where to buy milk that ensures fair price for farmers?

melb89

pelirocco wrote: »

Who do you think takes the hit on the price reduction?

In the parliament evidence taking on this issue earlier in the week, the ASDA rep said that ASDA cover the cost of "own brand" product promotions, while in situations with bigger name-brand companies, the company sets aside "promotional funds" to cover anything like a 2 for 1 deal which would be negotiated with ASDA. I would assume this would be true for most similar supermarkets.

mulronie

This is the problem.

sarymclary

I have been mulling over this dilemma all week, after the NFU meeting last week about the price cuts.

I have doorstep deliveries, as I feel that paying a premium price for my milk helps to keep the milkman in a job, so I feel the price is justified. However, my provider is milkandmore, who are owned by Dairy Crest (makers of Clover, Country Life, Frijj, etc). They are one of the companies that has cut the price they pay to farmers (cutting by 1.65ppl).

However, by taking my custom elsewhere, say to Sainsbury's who are committed to ensuring dairy farmers are paid a fair price for their milk, I am adding to the profit of a large supermarket, and potentially putting the milkman out of a job. My dad used to be a milkman in the early 1970's so I know what the job entails too. I even kept the doorstep delivery every time I moved house, in the past 20 years, because I was so committed to supporting the milkman.

When I discussed the matter separately with my OH and my eldest son (20) they both came up with alternate answers/reasons. OH said to carry on with the doorstep delivery because he said we can relate to the milkman, as he's like us, just earning a crust to support his family. He has no say in where his employer gets the stock from, and jeopardising his livelihood seems a rather nasty part of the collateral damage.

My son could see the larger picture, more like me, where the impact could be further reaching by keeping the prices cut, affecting the herds, and the dairy farmer to the tune of tens of thousands of pounds.

The only other reason I have wavered at all, apart from potentially putting my milkman out of a job (who's a lovely chap), is I have yet to find out any information about dairy farmers receiving subsidies for the undercutting. I've not been able to find it in searches.

Thoughts anyone?

Edwardia

pelirocco wrote: »

Who do you think takes the hit on the price reduction?

We switched to organic this spring after finding sodium acetate in our Tesco pork loin steaks. To get a good range of food, I have to buy organic wherever I see it, because even the supermarkets with organic ranges don't always carry much locally.

Additionally, I use Abel & Cole (£10 minimum order, 99p delivery charge) and was criticised for doing so on another thread, because although this supports farmers it's seen as "smug".

I pick up Moo organic UHT milk in several supermarkets. Most of the time I'm paying £1 a litre when I could be be buying non-organic in Lidl at 49p per litre. I'm not buying Moo specifically because it's on offer, but because it's UHT and I can store it, cutting down my shopping trips.

When I lived in the country I was the youngest Governor of my local agricultural society, now I live in a town I'm a Friend of the Soil Association.

So before you start criticising me for buying milk on special offer on a moneysaving website pelirocco, I suggest you go suck a few eggs.

The real reason that supermarkets have so much power over milk prices, is because consumers in previous generations deserted their local milkmen (often from independent dairies) in favour of the convenience of picking up milk with the rest of their shopping.

We do have a milkman here, but it's part of Dairy Crest again so I won't support that.

sayahu

Myself and my two boys (4 and 2 years) finish off 6 pints in 1 1/2 days, so I do look to find it cheaper as the option is out there and no I had not thought of the farmers - just assumed that they made a profit also. AM realy shocked that they only get 25p considering how much we pay per litre.

Used to buy the 6 pints from Tesco at £1.74 but then a local shop started to sell it at £1.69 plus free pack of Hovis soft white bread(which I give away as I don't need more then one pack a week).

My mother-in-law has 5 milking cows on her farm and sells her milk local only. She often complains that the price she sells the milk for does not cover the costs - I felt that she had to be fibbing as we have over the years told her to get rid of all livestock so that she would have less to do - but her answer has always been 'how will I support myself then?'

Silly question but if the farmers get their way would that then mean milk going up in price or will the supermarkets take a smaller cut?

sarymclary

sayahu - ultimately the supermarkets are answerable to their shareholders, and in a highly competitive market, with them struggling to maintain the super-high profits of recent years, it may be that they'd be unwilling to absorb a further cut? Only time will tell on that one, but with these companies like Tesco turning over £64.5bn with profits of £2.5bn, their shareholders are likely to be very greedy indeed.

mulronie

sarymclary wrote: »

Only time will tell on that one, but with these companies like Tesco turning over £64.5bn with profits of £2.5bn, their shareholders are likely to be very greedy indeed.

While £2.5bn is a big chunk of change, it's a net margin of just 3.9% - doesn't give them much wiggle room to adjust prices without asking their suppliers to help out in paying for it.

sayahu

sarymclary wrote: »

their shareholders are likely to be very greedy indeed.

Its a shame, but I guess we all try and get the best for us until we see the impact of our choice on someone else's life.

Would imagine that selling milk would have a quicker turn around (is that what its called?) so that maybe a lower profit per pack to the suppermarket but then shifting it in greater quantity so still getting a decent profit and healthy compitition between other supermarkets without the farmer loosing out?

Called my mother-in-law and told her she realy does need to pack it in as no point working hard for a loss. She said It's a shame she lives so far, or I could get the boys to milk the cows and buy up the milk so I wouldn't need to buy from outside:rotfl:.

Good luck to the farmers - stick to your guns, even if you get a top up from the EU does not mean that you don't fight for your hard work to be treated as the rest of us. We don't work for a loss so why should they? and would'nt the top up be the same as me getting WTC? if income goes up then the WTC comes down.

Dustykitten

Sarymclary I like you have had a milkman for 20 years, changing as we have moved and like you have dairycrest and have exactly the same dilema. I like supporting the milkman job and buy organic milk in glass bottles from him at a real premium of 79p a pint I think. I top up with organic milk from the corner shop (Heritage brand - no idea how they treat farmers) or from which ever supermarket I am in. I won't buy it in Morrisons any more but can't decide what to do about the milkman. He was great in the snow too. Might try to catch him on Monday and see what he says.

Barneysmom

Stick with your milkman Dustykitten, you might not be able to change what's happening globally but you'll be doing something beneficial to him and you.
He's not just a milkman, he's a friend