UK milkmen pledge to save doorstep pint

British milkmen today vowed to fight back against the growing dominance of supermarkets which has seen the number of doorstep deliveries fall dramatically in the past 20 years.

Despite figures showing milk sales door-to-door down 63% since 1980, those left in the industry believe by diversifying they can survive.

A report from the Milk Task Force, set-up to examine the dairy industry, said doorstep deliveries accounted for 89% of household milk sales in England and Wales 20 years ago, but fell to just 26% in 2000.

Sales in shops, predominately supermarkets, have increased by almost the same amount.

It blames ‘‘changes in social habits’’ for the switch, with consumers wanting a wider choice of products, an emphasis on speed, and more people eating out.

The industry has also had to cope with the gradual drop in milk consumption in the UK since the 1960s, down by one or two-per-cent a year with the average person now consuming 250 litres each per year.

Both factors have led to a fall in the number of milk rounds, down from 19,786 in 1994 to 11,081 in 2000, with a corresponding loss of milkmen employed.

However, the milk industry is trying to combat the decline in a number of ways, including turning the milk float into a ‘‘general store on wheels’’.

Edmund Proffitt, from the National Dairymen’s Association, said the future was far from bleak for milkmen.

‘‘In the past 20 years many things have changed, how many people had cars and videos 20 years ago, and doorstep deliveries is just part of these changing lifestyles,’’ he said.

‘‘But the milkmen are fighting back. There are still a number of companies who are highly profitable because they have diversified.

‘‘I know of examples where milkmen are now offering nappies, newspapers, even fireworks from their float. It is like a general store on wheels.

He said some companies now have websites on which customers can request products on line while others have telephone ordering services.

‘‘While the national market is gloomy for local milkmen it is not like that everywhere.’’

The Milk Task Force report paints a bleak picture for the future of doorstep deliveries, however, predicting they could account for just 17% of household milk sales in three years time, and 12% by 2010.

One ray of light from the report is the growing popularity of organic milk.

Sales rose by 115% between April 2000 and April 2001, according to the Soil Association, equating to 70 million litres.

However this figure is still low considering the UK total milk production is 14 billion litres.

In addition, the report says, demand for organic milk far exceeds supply and in 1999 to 2000 40% of what was sold in the UK had to be imported, mostly from Denmark and Germany.

The report concludes that milk producers can fight back by emphasising its low fat, nutritional benefits, and with better promotion.

But it warned that reform of the Common Agricultural Policy and enlargement of the European Union could result in more imports.