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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think that the price of Milk is just too cheap

151 replies

RudeBarbandCustard · 24/04/2015 10:46

I'm shocked at how cheap milk has become, and I think it's really worrying that a pint of milk is now cheaper than bottled water.

I usually buy my milk with my supermarket shop, so I have to confess I've never taken any notice of the actual price until now.

The other day, I bought 2 x 4 Pint bottles of milk from the corner shop. I expected it to cost around £4... so I was stunned when I realized they were just £1 each. What's more, in our local Asda a 4 pint bottle is 89p!

Considering people happily pay £2 or more for a bottle of water these days, I think it's disgusting that the supermarket price wars have driven the price of milk down like this.

I don't know much about this issue, so I'm prepared to be educated, but personally I think it's appalling. Do any of the supermarkets pay a fair price for their milk??

OP posts:

PurpleSwift · 24/04/2015 10:59

I don't think I've ever paid more for milk than water.

But YANBU, dairy farmers will be making pennies on it and I'd happily pay a bit more.

OnIlkleyMoorBahTwat · 24/04/2015 11:03

YANBU about the price of milk and it is not on that the supermarkets profit hugely at the expense of the producers. They should pay a fair price that reflects the cost of production and take the hit themselves if they want to fight price wars with each other.

YABU however to compare the cost of milk to the cost of water. We can get perfectly satisfactory water for a tiny price out of the tap and bottled water is a luxury product. Anyone paying £2 for water is either paying for the branding, perceived benefit of the mineral content, or the convenience of buying it while away from a tap. While milk is not an absolute necessity it is a basic grocery staple for most people.

Original poster

RudeBarbandCustard · 24/04/2015 11:05

That's the thing, I wouldn't have bat an eyelid if the milk had been double the price, I'd happily have paid £2 a bottle.

It was 89p in Aldi last night as well. I've become one of those people that points out the price of things constantly!

How can it even be produced for that price? The supermarkets must pay pennies. And do they really think that's what is bringing people through the doors? Cheap milk?

I'd think it was almost counterproductive - because surely everyone needs milk (well not everyone, but most people) and therefore they will come in and buy it whatever the cost. It's the cost of other stuff, and the range that draws me to supermarkets, not the cost of milk.

I wish we still had the milkman. Im vegetarian and it makes me really uncomfortable to contribute to the factory farming that goes on in dairy production.

OP posts:

NickNackNooToYou · 24/04/2015 11:06

Supermarkets are in it purely for profit, they may say different but that's what they are there for, and squeeze all their suppliers.

I get milk from a milkman, who's round has increased dramatically recently which proves customers are happy to pay that little bit more. The milk comes from a farm 30 miles away and the fat cat supermarkets have lost the business - win win

Original poster

RudeBarbandCustard · 24/04/2015 11:07

We can get perfectly satisfactory water for a tiny price out of the tap and bottled water is a luxury product

Yes I completely agree, and I never buy bottled water unless I'm at a train station or something and have no choice. But in those circumstances, you pay through the arse for a bottle of water. It was just the first comparison that popped into my head, but you're right that it's a poor comparison to make.

OP posts:

HelenF350 · 24/04/2015 11:07

YANBU. My grandad used to be a dairy farmer but gave it up as it was no longer profitable. I don't know how the supermarkets get away with treating their suppliers like this.

Andrewofgg · 24/04/2015 11:07

Sorry, but I don't understand this. How else does anyone want the cost of living to be increased?

derxa · 24/04/2015 11:08

Family dairy farms are going out of business right left and centre. Only big industrial producers survive. Unfortunately farmers don't have a voice in the UK now. I come from a farming family but married 'out'. Feel very sad about this.

WorraLiberty · 24/04/2015 11:09

I have a milkman and he charges 62p per pint.

Cockbollocks · 24/04/2015 11:10

I purposely buy milk from places that apparently give a fairer price to the farmer. Its costs me more but I don't mind with this.

Cockbollocks · 24/04/2015 11:11

andrew the point with this is the supermarkets are forcing the prices on the farmers and taking the main part of the profit for themselves.

TrollTheRespawnJeremy · 24/04/2015 11:11

We get our milk from a milkman to bypass the supermarkets as well. It's still very cheap. They also do their own ice cream which is lush.

It should never be as cheap as it is, it's an artificial cheapness.

Artandco · 24/04/2015 11:12

I pay £2+. You can choose which milk you but, you don't have to buy the cheapest, that's just encourages cheap milk in the first plac

OnIlkleyMoorBahTwat · 24/04/2015 11:13

Genuine question: If you buy milk from the milkman is it 'better' less industrially produced milk and does the farmer really get a better price for it?

I was under the impression that a lot of milkmen (and milkwomen) simply sold Arla/Dairy Crest/Robert Wiseman etc processed milk that was effectively the same deal as that in the supermarket.

SalyCinnamon · 24/04/2015 11:13

Asda make a loss on their milk, I have a cousin who works there and we were talking about this the other day.

The idea is that you 'pop in' for the cheap milk but end up buying far more.

I found this very interesting, although I know how boring that sounds!

Original poster

RudeBarbandCustard · 24/04/2015 11:14

I didn't think the milkman existed any more NickNack but I've just googled it after reading your post.

There is a depot about 10 minutes away from me, which delivers to the door. Is there any way I can check out the dairy to make sure they treat the suppliers fairly, and the animal welfare is good??

OP posts:

madamginger · 24/04/2015 11:15

We have a milkman too. I pay £1.75 for 4 pints. I like that my milk comes from a local farm and the farmer gets a proper wage.

mindexplode · 24/04/2015 11:17

I said this to my DH the other night - I would happily pay more for my milk if the money went to the dairy farmers and not the supermarket. It's not fair how they are squeezed by the supermarkets and I wish I could find a way to make it fairer (no milkman or dairy farmers near me)

Original poster

RudeBarbandCustard · 24/04/2015 11:18

The idea is that you 'pop in' for the cheap milk but end up buying far more Yes I guess so, but personally I'd pop in for milk whatever the price, like I said I've never really been aware of the price until now.

You can choose which milk you but, you don't have to buy the cheapest, that's just encourages cheap milk in the first place - true, I will be putting a lot more thought into this from now on. I've had my eyes opened.

Genuine question: If you buy milk from the milkman is it 'better' less industrially produced milk and does the farmer really get a better price for it? This is what I'm wondering too. I'm assuming that because it's local, and there are no industrial dairy farms near me, then it must be better....?

OP posts:

TheGirlFromIpanema · 24/04/2015 11:18

I agree OP which is why I buy milk from my milkman who has a storage fridge in his garage and has delliveries 3 times a week from Grassington dairy.

The shortest possible root from cow to my ceareal bowl and still only pay 65p a pint

Retail (large retail) is a science really and retailers know their stuff. Milk is a loss leader to draw people in and it works! Less than 5000 milkmen apparently in UK now...

mousmous · 24/04/2015 11:19

yanbu
I would be ok paying a few pence more if it means it ends up in the farmer's pocket and not only in the processor's/supermarket's.
I usually buy organic and really hope that organic = fair

TheGirlFromIpanema · 24/04/2015 11:20

Also some of the milk dairy's themselves are not any better at paying farmers a fair price tbh which is why my milky switched to direct deliveries a couple of years ago.

TheGirlFromIpanema · 24/04/2015 11:22

He left arla btw which had its head office less than a mile from us. They are shitty to both the farmers AND the milkmen when I found this out!

Pasithea · 24/04/2015 11:23

I will not buy milk from supermarkets. Ours is delivered from a local dairy. The farmers are making a loss on milk production at the moment. It's absolutely disgusting. Farmers work for a lot less than the minimum wage.

WorraLiberty · 24/04/2015 11:23

Genuine question: If you buy milk from the milkman is it 'better' less industrially produced milk and does the farmer really get a better price for it?

I honestly have no idea.

I do know it tastes a lot nicer though, but that could be because it's in a glass bottle, rather than a plastic tub.

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