Morrisons' Milk for Farmers is not quite what it seems

The MorrisonsMilk for Farmers brand may look like a boost for British farmers, but a new report has suggested it doesn't help anything like as much as you might think. The bottles feature a Union Jack and the statement that Morrisons gives 23p back to the farmer for each four pint bottle you buy. But if you thought this meant the supplier would receive an extra 23p for that bottle, you'd be sorely mistaken.

The brand was introduced at the height of the row over milk prices, in an effort to demonstrate that Morrisons was supporting its suppliers. Those who were willing to pay a little more to ensure the farmers got a decent price for their milk could choose this brand, and help protect British dairy farming.

Anyone who felt this was a good idea, and put their money where their mouth was, will be pleased with the announcement from Morrisons that the range will raise around £5 million a year for farmers.

Not quite as it seems
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However, the extra you pay for your bottle of milk doesn't go back to the farmer who supplied that specific litre of milk. It doesn't even all go back to British farmers. Instead, Morrisons sends it to the milk co-operative it buys its milk from. This organisation is called Arla, which is based in Denmark. The extra cash is then split between farmers in Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and the UK.

Eventually British farmers get just a quarter of the extra you paid for your milk.

The discovery was made by Farmer's Weekly, after a customer asked Morrisons about who receives the extra cash. It published the email exchange in full online.

It will come as another blow to campaigners, who have already spoken out against the Milk for Farmers brand. They argue that it's an effort by the supermarket to absolve itself of the need to pay a sustainable price for its standard milk.

Morrisons told the Telegraph that the Union Jack on the bottle is intended to show that all its milk is produced on British farms, and was never intended to suggest the money would only go to British farmers. A spokesman added: "We worked extremely quickly to introduce Milk for Farmers at a time when farmers said they needed help. Very soon, we will make changes to the packaging to clarify that while this is British milk the extra payments are shared between all of Arla's farmers."

But what do you think? Do you mind which farmers you are helping by paying more for your milk? Let us know in the comments.