Omsco is set to launch a campaign this autumn to persuade consumers that trading up to organic milk is more affordable than they think.

The £1m TV campaign will run from September to December and focus on the low price premium organic dairy produce commands.

TV ads, which make the organic milk co-operative's first move into national TV advertising, will target consumers in general. Meanwhile, print media ads targeted at 25 to 54-year-old females will highlight the health benefits of organic milk for children. The company is also in discussions over on-pack and in-store support.

"It costs less than £1 a week for an average family to go organic," said Richard Hollingdale, Omsco sales and marketing director.

The scale and efficiencies of Omsco's operations had enabled it to keep the price premium for organic milk to a minimum, he added.

Currently organic milk accounts for approximately 6% of volume sales in the milk category. Omsco aspired to grow the market to 10% over time, with the new campaign starting the process, said Hollingdale.

Although the campaign was being paid for by Omsco farmer members, it would be of benefit to the entire organic milk industry, he added.

He denied it was a reaction to dwindling sales across organic generally. "The organic category in some areas has clearly suffered. In dairy, it's been relatively robust, with milk holding its own," he said.

However, he conceded that the campaign would reinforce some of the messages associated with organics that had been lost in the economic downturn.

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