Supermarkets Say No To Milk From Nocton
UK - In a blow to plans by Nocton Dairies to build Britain’s biggest dairy farm at Nocton in Lincolnshire, it has been revealed that some of the UK’s leading supermarkets do not intend to stock milk produced from it.
25 November 2010
2 minute read
Responses generated from a letter sent by Eric Martlew ormer MP and chair of the Associate Parliamentary Group on Animal Welfare (APGAW) who wrote to the supermarkets earlier this year, disclosed Sainsbury's, Tesco's, M&S, Morrisons' and Waitrose, would all reject plans to accept milk produced by Nocton Dairies.
Sainsbury’s said: "I can confirm that Sainsbury's has no plans to source dairy products from the farm. We recognise that whilst our customers are looking for good value in the current economic climate, they also favour food that is raised to high welfare standards.”
Tesco responded saying: "We have no plans to buy milk from the proposed dairy farm. The animal welfare on all farms that supply us is a top priority for us and a key driver of change in farm management practices."
M&S said: "It is Marks and Spencer’s policy for ruminant animals to have access to grazing when possible.”
"If such a dairy goes into production in the future we'll consider all the evidence and then take a decision on whether or not it's right for our business," said Morrisons.
It was reported in last week's Independent that Waitrose would not stock the milk and is quoted as saying: “A dairy of that size would not fit with the Waitrose way of doing business and I have to say... that it represents the first step along the way towards the American approach to farming, much of which is highly industrialised."
The responses are alarming for Nocton Dairies, however a spokesperson for the company said: "We'll see, we're a long way off selling the milk."
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