Dairy giant FrieslandCampina has announced that it has become the first company in the sector to launch sustainable milk that has acquired the ‘On the way to PlanetProof’ label from Stichting Milieukeur.
The director of Stichting Milieukeur, Gijs Dröge, said, “It is a great achievement from FrieslandCampina’s dairy farmers that they, together with the company, could meet all the requirements of the quality mark, and from today [17 December] offer the opportunity to have a greater environmental impact.”
Milieukeur is the Dutch environmental quality label that sets the standard for a broader sustainability approach for agriculture and horticulture.
Sustainable Milk
‘PlanetProof’ milk is sourced from farms, farmers, and dairy companies that implement measures to protect the environment and promote animal welfare.
These include the use of sustainable energy, and limiting CO2 emissions and the use of pesticides. The measures also involve the practice of outdoor grazing for cows.
The milk is priced a few cents higher than regular milk, and the proceeds directly benefit the dairy farmers involved.
Direct Rewards For Farmers
The CEO of Royal FrieslandCampina NV, Hein Schumacher, said, “By buying dairy products with the ‘Planet Proof’ label, consumers can directly reward dairy farmers that are committed to animal welfare and improving nature and the environment.
“It is also an encouragement for other dairy farmers to make their farm more sustainable. That is not only good for the sector, but good for all of us,” added Schumacher.
Earlier, Dutch retailer Coop Supermarkten had announced plans to introduce Stichting Milieukeur-certified, sustainable dairy products by the beginning of next year.
© 2018 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Dayeeta Das. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
