Lurpak owner defends trial of feed additives to reduce methane amid calls for boycott

The owner of Danish butter brand Lurpak has defended his recently announced attempt to add a methane-suppressing supplement to cow feed as calls to boycott the brand continue.

Arla Foods, owner of the UK’s largest dairy cooperative, announced the initiative to tackle climate-damaging methane emissions caused by cows’ digestion.

The company is working with Morrisons, Aldi and Tesco on the project, which will test the use of the feed additive Bovaer on 30 UK farms.

Research suggests the supplement can reduce methane emissions from cow digestion by an average of 27%, but questions remain about the long-term effectiveness and impact of such additives on animal health and welfare.

Crowds of British shoppers joined an online storm on Friday calling for a boycott of Arla brands, particularly Lurpak, with several accusing the brand of being “woke”.

“Just threw my Lurpak in the trash can,” wrote one user on X, formerly Twitter.

Another said: “I’m happy to consume dairy products from smaller, independent farms that aren’t involved in these crazy practices.”

Many said the additive was added to the milk itself – rather than the feed of the cows that produce it – and others suggested that tech billionaire Bill Gates was involved.

One user wrote: “I have been using Lurpak for years. I am no longer willing to support them further if they add this chemical to the milk they use to make their product. In my opinion it is completely wrong in every way to force this on us.”

Another said: “@Lurpak I used to buy your product but will stop now as you are now using Bill Gates poison in your food.”

The Microsoft co-founder is not involved in the Arla study or Bovaer more broadly, but last year invested millions in a rival start-up, Rumin 8, which is developing similar additives.

An Arla spokesman said the health and safety of consumers and animals is the company’s “top priority.”

“The information circulating on the Internet about our association with Bill Gates is completely false and claims about his involvement in our products are inaccurate,” they told Grocer.

“Bovaer has already been used widely and safely across Europe and at no point during the trial will there be any impact on the milk we produce as it does not pass from the cow into the milk,” the spokesperson stressed.

“Regulatory bodies such as the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the UK Food Standards Agency have approved its use based on evidence that it does not harm animals or have a negative impact on their health, productivity or the quality of milk.”

Bovaer was approved in the UK in April and is approved for use in a number of countries, including EU countries, Australia and Canada.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) said all approved feed additives, including Bovaer, have undergone a rigorous safety assessment, part of a wider process to ensure products are safe and suitable for the UK market.

She added that her top priority is to protect consumer interests and comply with food and feed standards when it comes to regulated products.

Arla’s trial aims to investigate how methane-suppressing feed additives could be introduced to a wider group of farmers in the UK, and is part of the company’s wider commitment to reduce the environmental impact of its dairy production.

Paul Dover, UK agricultural director at Arla Foods, said: “We know that reducing methane is a huge opportunity when it comes to reducing our carbon footprint at farm level and feed additives like Bovaer have huge potential to help us to help address this problem.”

Mr Dover said rolling out the additive on a large scale “will not be easy due to the costs involved”.

He added: “It is therefore important that we understand more about their potential for use and then work with industry, government and our partners to support farmers if we are to seize the opportunity they present in reducing emissions .”

Paul Tompkins, chairman of the National Farmers’ Union’s dairy board, said: “While FSA-approved products could be useful tools for reducing methane emissions, questions remain about long-term effectiveness, practical and effective use on farm and in animals.” Health and welfare will not be compromised.”

He said government research shows that buyers are generally positive about the products as long as human and animal health are not harmed.

“It is vital that we also have a strong evidence base to give farmers the confidence to use these products. This trial between Arla, Morrisons, Aldi and Tesco could help provide that evidence,” he added.