To think that the price of Milk is just too cheap

[RudeBarbandCustard]

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??

Add message | Report | Message poster caroldecker Sat 25-Apr-15 11:46:59
Not sure anyone has explained why UK dairy farmers should be kept in business?

Because if we don't, then our milk will have to be imported and the price will rise even higher.

The milk will be less fresh, more 'processed'. It will be less regulated, so almost certainly not as good for us. The animals will be more intensively farmed and their welfare will not be considered.

I give you (flavoured) Weetabix drink in a (plastic) bottle

Weetabix flavoured milk? That actually makes me feel sick.

...Because if we don't, then our milk will have to be imported and the price will rise even higher...

If I was taking a hard financial stance I would say that relying on single source or imported food leaves all consumers open to financial manipulation or loss of supply. When you lose the ability to produce much of your own food, you lose flexibility and - interestingly - much of the possibility of future change.

The same also applies to consumer products other than food but that is, I think, a different thread.

Or milk-flavoured weetabix. You can take your pick I think. (Of the flavours as well it seems- you can buy strawberry and chocolate on top of the vanilla.)

rudebarb What is a fair price? It is a price people are prepared to pay. If you care about local food and animal welfare, then buy local/organic food and pay the premium.
Who says the supermarket prices are unfair?

Milk is about 7or 8p a litre more expensive then petrol once you remove the duty and there's a hell of a lot more involved in producing petrol than there is milk. By that reckoning it makes milk look overpriced.

...If you care about local food and animal welfare, then buy local/organic food and pay the premium....

And what happens if your local or organic suppliers have been driven out of business by bigger financial concerns? That will happen increasingly if things proceed on their current path.

Quote from the Editor of Dairy Industry newsletter in Oct 2014:

In fact, UK dairy farmers have just come through one of their most profitable periods ever, with milk prices reachinged a record of over 33p/litre earlier this year. As a result,UK milk production has soared, this year up nearly 10% to the highest for 10 years. Though we are not immune to world markets – and world dairy prices have fallen by 40% this year, with the European dairy industry now seriously affected by the Russian trade embargo, the biggest problem for UK dairy farmers right now is how to pay their tax bills!

source

rich

If I was on another thread I would be saying that petrol is a finite resource where people are (short-sightedly) guzzling it on an 'apres moi le deluge/scientists will discover something' basis - and Gawd help them when the wells start to run dry and oil rises in price significantly. Food need not be regarded as a finite resource - and sustainability should be at the forefront of people's minds.

caroldecker

That would be the Dairy Industry Newsletter ?

You migt care to read this.

And also the linked story which I'll also link here for greater ease.

I buy my milk direct from the farm now too. It's 64p per pint but I feel better about paying a realistic price.

With many people using food banks do we really want to push milk into a luxury item.

I don't have much milk at all, only in tea. In coffee I use coffee mate or my pods.

My kids go through a lot of milk.

I could afford to pay more for milk, but many others could not.

I do like goat milk though, which is more expensive

cozie I really couldn't care less about sustainability to be honest. I always run large engined, thirsty cars and drive them just for fun because I can. My point was simply that there must be more profit in a litre of milk than petrol (unless someone who knows for a fact that milk is more expensive to produce can say otherwise?) So someone somewhere is making good money from the sale of milk.

rich comparison with petrol is irrelevant - totally different processes.

cozie that appears to be an issue of animal welfare. If you want to argue for higher welfare standards for dairy herds and ban products that do not meet these, then do so.

The EU has very recently stopped milk quotas, so either:

1. UK farmers will need to industrialise and become more efficient, as in the article

1. Welfare standards will need to change
2. All our milk will be inported from Europe, who run the efficient farms

I don't like the idea that, as a country, we rely on importing food. Having a farming industry is a good thing because it means that (if necessary) we can grow enough food to support ourselves. If that means I have to pay a bit more for milk, meat and veg then so bit it.

Carol I'd say it's no less comparable than with bottled water or anything else for that matter. What about beer? What's the production cost for a pint of Stella for example?

Jessica Sorry that worry is bonkers. We currently import 40% of food and have been unable to support ourselves for over 100 years, and never could with the current population.

Milk is a commodity like oil. Lowest cost producers win market share. High cost producers go out of business. UK dairy farms are too small and cannot compete.

Jessica - the UK has not been self sufficient in food for hundreds of years. That is why there was rationing during WWII.

Yanbu, try to buy milk, meat etc from m&s or Waitrose, I've read before that they pay much fairer prices to farmers than Aldi etc

I feel very sorry for the animal welfare issue due to all the discounting, cows milk is not necessary for adult humans, it's a shame we drink it at all really..

YANBU Well done for posting I would be happy paying a lot more .We should support our farmers otherwise they will go out of business and we will end up drinking that horrible milk that they drink in France .

Little off topic here but over the past few days in order to raise money for people in the Congo who have no access to any form of drinking water at all, the place I work has sold bottled water, and arranged for water soaked sponges to be thrown at people.

Nodding off - I don't live in the EU though so she could be right for where we live.

I feel very sorry for the animal welfare issue due to all the discounting, cows milk is not necessary for adult humans, it's a shame we drink it at all really.

That point of view is really going to help the dairy farmers, isn't it?

YANBU. It's far too cheap and does not give the farmers a fair price, which in turn means corners are cut and the welfare of the poor cows is impacted.

bay what is a fair price?