Cool Milk for School - Subsidised?

[Furball]

My ds in reception has had free milk from school up until now. He is 5 in August, so as from next school year we have to pay for his milk.

What I don't understand is how come it says on the letter in capital bold letters 'This milk is supplied at a reduced price due to an EEC subsidy' Now how subsidised is it? because they get 189ml at 16p which sounds cheap enough but when you work it out per pint it's 48p a pint. Organic milk in Waitrose is 45p a pint??? So it's not subsidised at all is it?

I thought it was 11p but I can't find DS2s letter!

Thanks SueW

It says 'the aim of the scheme aims to encourage consumption of milk products by making them available in schools at a reduced cost to children'

I don't get exactly, at that price of the equivalent of 48p/pint, how is that price reduced/subsidised?

Thanks SueW

It says 'the aim of the scheme aims to encourage consumption of milk products by making them available in schools at a reduced cost to children'

I don't get exactly, at that price of the equivalent of 48p/pint, how is that price reduced/subsidised?

It's probably that price because of all the packaging. Small portions are always more expensive weight-for-weight than bulk portions. Think how much more expensive a carton of Ribena costs than a huge bottle of the concentrate. I wonder how much the subsidy is - I didn't even know that it was subsidised. I wonder why all schools and nurseries don't offer it? Ds had it in his previous school, but not in his current one, whereas dd didn't have it in her previous nursery, but has it in her current one.

All Margaret Thatcher the milk snatcher's fault you know..

PrettyCandles, I think the reason not all schools and nurseries offer subsidised (or even free) milk is the hassle factor. There will be a large number of children who are allergic or just can't stand the stuff, and staff time will be taken up handing it out, clearing up the mess etc., which could be better spent doing something else. And SueW has already mentioned the paperwork mountain...