SCOTS, it seems, can be a suspicious bunch but one packaging giant reckons that can make us wasteful.
Research from Tetra Pak shows that almost 70% of Scots have never or only rarely used long-life milk, and almost 15% of us (compared to 12% UK-wide) believe it isn’t even real milk. The report says well over half of us think it isn’t good for us, compared to 48% UK-wide, while 38% think it has preservatives added to it.
But Tetra Pak argues waste is a huge problem in the UK, with its research showing three quarters of Brits throw some of the white stuff away because it has gone off before it can be used. It points to estimates from WRAP, showing that Scots waste 31,000 tonnes of milk a year, at a cost of around £24m.
Tetra Pak says long-life milk is as nutritionally sound as fresh milk, with nothing added or taken away, and is different purely due to the heating process that extends the product’s shelf life.
The company suggests that one of the main benefits of the product is its convenience and the practicality of its extended shelf life, as it can be stored without refrigeration for over six months.
But the research also suggests that 82% of Brits don’t know that, for taste reasons, it’s best to chill the product in the fridge before drinking it, which Tetra Pak reckons may explain some of the negative opinions.
