Fresh milk sales at Booths have soared since the latest dairy farmer crisis hit the headlines.
EPoS sales data from the northern chain reveal that volume sales growth (per unit) for its Fair Milk range has not only significantly outstripped average milk volume sales across the mults, it is accelerating: following growth of 5% for the month to 26 June, and 3.4% for the month to 18 July, it rose 7.2% between 18 July and 12 August, with the number of litres sold jumping by 14.4% as a result of more customers switching from two-pinters to four-pinters [Nielsen Scantrack].
Speaking to The Grocer this week, Booths CEO Chris Dee said that despite receiving positive customer comments at the time of the launch of Fair Milk last May, sales didn’t change significantly. But the volume jump showed its pledge last year to pay dairy farmers 33ppl - higher than any UK supermarket - while offering consumers a competitive price (£1/four pints) was finally striking a chord with consumers.
“At the heart of this, customers are saying they care about supporting farmers so I will buy my milk from Booths.”
With Morrisons announcing the launch of its ‘Milk for Farmers’ this week, Dee welcomed the move because “Morrisons consumers will care too”.
“We welcome any measure that helps farmers at these desperate times. Will it work for them? I have to hope it will.” But he warned it wasn’t fair to “ask your customers to make a decision to support farmers or not to support farmers when stood in front of a milk fixture”.
He added: “We’re proud that our Fair Milk is not an optional extra. It’s across all our milk.”
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