Almost 40% of Irish consumers under 35 have increased their dairy (milk, cheese and yoghurt) consumption since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, a new study shows.
Majority (88%) of the respondents said that the believe that Irish dairy is superior to dairy produced elsewhere in the world, according to research released today by the European Milk Forum, as part of its 'Sustainable Dairy in Europe' campaign.
Zoe Kavanagh, chief executive of the National Dairy Council and spokesperson for the European Milk Forum in Ireland, said the research demonstrated that Irish consumers value dairy products as well as our indigenous dairy industry.
“In these unprecedented times, it is heartening to know consumers are seeking out dairy products because they know they can rely on their natural nutritional value and they can be assured of the quality of locally produced Irish dairy," Kavanagh said.
Climate Change
Kavanagh said that survey highlights that an overwhelming majority of those surveyed (96%) believe in climate change and that the responsibility to create a more 'sustainable future needs a collaborative effort'.
She said that this responsibility should be shared between the production industry (57%), consumers (49%) and politicians (49%).
"But with only two in of five consumers (42%) feeling well-informed about sustainability, it is clear there is a lot of work to be done by stakeholders right across Government, civil society and industry,” Kavanagh stated.
'National Effort'
Kavanagh said Irish dairy farmers and producers are committed to playing their part in a national effort to address climate change, by creating a more sustainable industry and protecting rural biodiversity.
“Ireland already has the most efficient production system in the European Union with low levels of carbon emissions, due to our grass-based and family farming systems," she said.
"We know, however, that there is much work still to be done, with the majority of consumers [79%] saying that we need to change the way we consume and produce all of our food," Kavanagh added.
© 2020 Checkout – your source for the latest Irish retail news. Article by Donna Ahern. Click sign-up to subscribe to Checkout.
