So this week as I delve in the world of milk I’m hoping to answer the question ‘what is the change I could make’?
I currently buy milk during my weekly shop, to be honest I usually grab whichever one is 4 pints for £1, a quick search tells me that today you can even get 4 pints for 89p. There’s been lots in the news the past few years about milk. Just this week the price farmers get for a litre of milk has fallen to 20p. The more I read about the challenges they face (up to 3 farms stop producing milk every day) the more I’m convinced that the ethical choice is to stop buying the cheapest milk on offer and find a way of paying farmers a reasonable price for all the milk I’m guzzling! So what next, what should I buy and where?
My options seem to be;
- Supermarket UK milk – some have ‘Yorkshire’ milk options, but that doesn’t mean that farmers are necessarily getting a fair price.
- Local large dairies (delivered) – I love the idea of getting milk delivered to your door and there are a few options in Sheffield however as we don’t have anywhere which isn’t the pavement for the delivery of milk I’m not sure this is a practical solution for us!
- Local dairies – supplied to city farm shops, deli’s etc. This is the solution I trust the most in terms of fair pay however it requires a bit more planning (not quite so easy to pick up during the weekly shop).
I’ve always loved the idea of buying local and supporting the local economy. In 2013 for every £1 spent with a small or medium-sized business 63p stayed in the local economy, compared to 40p with a larger business, so it should be a no-brainer. If I’m honest though I’ve always aspired to this but the allure of getting everything in one go and the ease of online shopping has always won. However this blog is all about making changes and starting new habits so I’m keen to break my status quo.
There are three main advantages to buying local milk;
- Milk is more fresh – supermarket milk can be up to a week old
- It hasn’t travelled so far – less CO2 = a big ethical tick!
- It gives farmers a fair price – any cuts out lots of middle men
So my change this month is going to be buying local and not always looking for the cheapest deal (this will mean breaking the habit of a lifetime!).
Next week we’ll roll out a taste test!