British public increasingly concerned about environmental impact of food

Brits are becoming increasingly concerned about the environmental impact of their food, according to research.

And nearly all of us admit we care about animal welfare when it comes to the produce we eat.

Almost four in five Brits (78 per cent) reckon their concern about the environmental effects of their food is intensifying, with nearly nine in ten (87 per cent) saying they care about animal welfare.

Given the current climate up and down the nation, a new set of welfare and sustainability standards is now blazing a trail to help make shopping simpler for conscious consumers.

Arla, Britain’s largest dairy company, has launched a new initiative called Arla C.A.R.E, which will feature a new on-pack logo across its wide-ranging milk portfolio.

Cravendale, BOB and Big Milk will represent higher standards across C – Cooperative – A – Animal Welfare – R – Renewable Energy and E – Ecosystem, with every Arla C.A.R.E farmer needing to meet required standards.

Starting with the farmers that work hard to produce the nation’s milk, all will have to comply with the requirement for cows to be able to graze freely when weather conditions allow.

And the farmers will also have to support biodiversity and restore natural ecosystems, committing to further reducing their overall carbon footprint through using renewable energy on farm.

Alex Hollands, an Arla farmer, said: “My herd’s health and wellbeing is always a top priority on my farm.

“I think it’s important that consumers are aware of the high standards we have in place.

“From ensuring our herds are healthy and happy, to protecting and working with nature by creating homes for different species of wildlife and using renewable energy like solar panels and boreholes to supply our farms, Arla farmers, like myself, care about the same things that matter to shoppers who are picking up their milk from the supermarket shelves.”

These standards will feature as a stamp on all of Arla’s branded milk portfolio including Cravendale, Big Milk and B.O.B, making it easy for shoppers to spot milk that has been produced by farmers who care and that they can trust.

Kate Liversidge, senior agricultural manager at Arla, added: “Arla dairy farmers are already amongst the most caring and climate efficient farmers in the world, and we are proud to go even further by introducing these farm standards to help nurture and protect our herds, land, and farmers.
“We know that understanding where food comes from and how it’s made is hugely important to people, and through the Arla C.A.R.E programme, we can help our shoppers feel confident that their milk has been produced to an extremely high standard by Arla’s caring farmers.”

Learn more about the C.A.R.E standards at www.arlafoods.co.uk/care