Milk consumption has fallen 50% in the UK
An increase in people drinking plant-based milks and fewer people having milk in their morning cereal, teas and coffees has driven the huge decrease in the amount of milk consumed in the UK, the report explains.
The Defra Family Food Survey found that people drank an average of only 70 litres of milk a year in 2018, compared to 140 litres of milk in 1974. A similar pattern has occurred in the US as well, according to the report.
As we race towards climate catastrophe fuelled by the animal agriculture industry, especially by beef and dairy, this fall in milk consumption is crucial if we are to stand any chance of mitigating the effects of environmental collapse.
Currently, dairy is the second biggest greenhouse gas emitter in the food production industry due to the huge amounts of soya needed to feed dairy cows and the methane they release. All plant-based milks are better for the environment, according to an article in The Guardian, with oat and hemp milks coming out best for their small environmental impact.
The release of this report couldn’t be more ironically timed, as we’re currently in the midst of ‘Februdairy’; the dairy industry’s desperate attempt to combat Veganuary and promote dairy as a healthy British food.
Despite the dairy industry’s attempt to mislead the British public on the environmental and health implications of consuming dairy, not to mention the systematic cruelty that occurs on dairy farms in the UK and around the world, the evidence is clear. The British public is moving away from cow’s milk and choosing plant-based alternatives instead.
To find out more about the dairy industry and how to go dairy-free, visit scarydairy.org.uk
About the author
Louisa Kendal
Louisa is the Digital Communications Officer at Viva! Louisa has been vegan for four years and is passionate about eradicating injustices and exploitation in our world. After graduating from the University of Bristol with a degree in Theology, she worked as a journalist in Malaysia before joining Viva!'s marketing team. She now leverages social media and the online world to forward the vegan movement and keep Viva! growing in influence. Click here for more info.
