Shoppers have raised concerns over an additive which will be trialled in cows and used in a popular dairy brand’s products.
Most UK supermarkets – as well as popular coffee shops – use or stock products from dairy giant Arla – including Lurpak and Cravendale milk and will soon trial products from cows who eat food additive Bovaer.
Bovaer is a product added to cow feed to lower the amount of greenhouse gas emissions from the cattle. Methane is a greenhouse gas produced by cows through their farts and burps that is 28 times stronger than carbon dioxide – contributing significantly to global warming.
Even though the UK Food Standards Agency has approved Bovaer for use and said it is safe for consumers, customers have reported being unhappy after Arla announced they would trial the use of the additive on 30 farms, with some calling the trial ‘insane’.
Arla wrote on X: ‘Bovaer can reduce emissions from cows by 27%, and this represents an amazing chance to reduce emissions on farm.’
Over 13,000 replies were left on the post on X, most slamming the trial. Since the post was put up, dozens of people online have filmed themselves throwing away Arla products.
Products which will be using dairy from cows eating Bovaer range from artisanal cheese to everyday milk.
One user wrote: ‘No thanks, I will be boycotting Arla products and the supermarkets mentioned going forward.’
Another added: ‘No longer will buy your products. What are the long term health effects of this.? What actually is Bovaer? What is it made up from? Do your customers not get a choice?’
Arla has said the uproar includes some ‘misinformation’, including suggestions that Bill Gates is benefitting from Bovaer trialling at the farms.
Bill Gates has no affiliation with the additive, but has invested millions into Rumin 8, which develops similar methane-reducing products.
An Arla spokesperson told Metro: ‘The information spreading online surrounding our link to Bill Gates and the safety of the Bovaer feed additive is completely false. The health and safety of both consumers and animals is always our number one priority and Arla would never compromise on the quality or high standards of the milk we produce.
‘Bovaer has already been extensively and safely used across Europe and at no point during the trial will there be any impact on the milk as it does not pass from the cow into the milk.
‘Regulatory bodies, such as the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and UK Food Standards Agency, have approved its use based on evidence that it does not harm the animals or negatively impact their health, productivity, or the quality of milk.’
The United States approved Bovaer for use in May 2024, followed by Canada.
Brazil and Chile approved its use in 2021 for cows, sheep and goats.
The EU also has approved it for use in dairy cows alone.
Bovaer is used in several other countries, and the National Farmers’ Union Dairy Board Chairman Paul Tompkins said earlier this week that the trial with Morrisons, Aldi and Tesco could give farmers confidence in the product.
‘While FSA-approved products could be useful tools in helping to reduce methane emissions, questions remain about long-term efficacy, that it can be used practically and effectively on farm, and that animal health and welfare will not be impacted,’ he said.
‘Defra research has shown that shoppers are generally positive about methane-suppressing products if human and/or animal health are not affected. It’s critical we also have a strong evidence base to give farmers the confidence to use these products.’
Morrisons, Aldi and Tesco added: ‘Through collaboration as part of Arla’s FarmAhead Customer Partnership, we have the ability to address some of the climate challenges facing our food system. It is this collective approach that is really going to make a difference.’
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