Would you pay a little more?

Exactly, PRINTMISS! I think we get lots of food too cheaply nowadays! I would pay more for my milk, and most other foods, if it meant that we kept farming in Britain alive and didn't have to import stuff from places where we have no control over the welfare or hygiene regimes.

But, that's easy for me to say as I can afford to be picky. I know that there are lots of families where price is the main driver.

I would certainly pay more to know just how and where the meat I eat is raised.
Most of our veg comes from our own garden.
But when it comes to milk, I am shameless and bulk buy the cheapest skimmed milk in Tesco.

Never buy supermarket milk. We are lucky enough to have a real milkman, who delivers milk in glass bottles. I think it tastes better than supermarket milk in plastic bottles. I dread the day when, do to pressure from supermarkets like Tesco, they are driven out of business.

It's not just milk though is it?

due

Goodness, you must get through a lot of milk, pompa!

We also have doorstop delivery but I pay 65p per pint when I could get 4pints for not much more than a £. This cost has to influence families whose concern is not the farmers but what they can buy for their money. I am not saying this is right,just being realistic.

I always used to buy milk from supermarkets. A couple of years ago a milk roundsman called at the house and said that they were trying to keep milk rounds going and would I consider buying from them. I agreed (although it was almost twice the price of supermarket milk) as I love to see the old fashioned milkman doing his rounds and didn't want to see the tradition die out. However, some days he didn't leave the milk until 1 pm. It was in plastic bottles. He was always trying to sell me tea bags, yoghurts, biscuits etc at inflated prices. So it was back to the supermarket for me.

I get milk delivered twice a week. My weekly bill is £3.10 for two litres. It is worth it to me as milk is heavy to carry home, so I don't grudge it.

It is left on the doorstep before 6 am, and I bring it in at 8 or 8.30. In midsummer this does mean that it can stand around for two or three hours, and it does not seem to last as long as in winter.

We used to have a roundsman, but he retired and no one took over the business, we live too far from the nearest depot to be worthwhile delivering.
We only drink skimmed milk and I can't tell the difference between suppliers.
We use about 4 litres a week.so buy a 6x1lt pack on LL as we need it.
CATM we are having Tesco deliver our groceries each week, only £1 delivery, not worth starting the car. (if I could)

Yes I would. I also have a real milkman and pay extra for organic milk. I don't buy the argument about hard pressed families either I'm afraid. To my mind food should reflect the cost of its production especially when the cost is far more than just money.

Nightowl, I think that is unfair to those that are hard pressed, many families do need to take advantage of the best deals to make ends meet. I am lucky to be able to choose the quality of the products I buy, many times I will buy based on flavour/quality/traceability, but where flavour is secondary I tend to buy the best offer. I would always try to buy British and local products whenever possible.

We have milk delivered in glass bottles. I have an insulated bottle holder at the door . It doesn't stop the milk freezing in winter but it's been delivered about 2am in the foulest weather. I've never known it not to arrive and I'm happy to have not to buy it in the supermarket and store .

Now that I have lovely new natural stone front steps I must buy a bottle holder to keep away the drip marks.

I'm afraid I gave up with a doorstep delivery as he was leaving it around midnight and in the summer it had gone off before I took it in the house.
I think most supermarkets do give a choice of more expensive organic milk don't they?
I get most of our milk from our small local co-op which is way more expensive than Tesco, so I'm already paying more. So the question is whether the Co-op is fairer to their suppliers than Tesco is.

I do agree with your basic question though Printmiss, and I always look for meat and vegetables that have the name of the farmer-producer on them.
I don't begrudge paying for better quality food. I'd rather do that than spend money on shop-bought cakes and pre-prepared food.

Same happened with my doorstep delivery, JaneA. I let the dairy manager know why I was going to stop deliveries, in the hope he would offer to have it delivered at breakfast time, but he didn't say anything. Just accepted my reason. I would much prefer fresh milk from the local dairy on my doorstep, and would pay a realstic price, but it was delivered in plastic bottles and had a national label on it - could have come from anywhere.

No milk delivery here. We buy from supermarkets or local shop.Would be happy to pay a few pence more, it's a disgrace how dairy farmers are [and have been][ treated.
A have a friend in another part of the country and her milkman leaves the milk about 2 a .m. ! On the step hours in Summer, and it's frozen in Winter. Presumably he is suiting himself about when to deliver, but should the dairy accept this?In the past I don't ever recall milk being delivered earlier than 6 a .m.

I'm not sure the milk delivery drivers are choosing to deliver so early for their own convenience rosesarered I think it's because they have such big rounds now so few people have milk delivered. My milkman used to tell me he started loading his float just after midnight and continued delvering till about 7, so someone was getting their milk in time for breakfast but not everyone.

Like janeainsworth and wheni'm64, I cancelled our doorstep delivery some years ago, because it was often "off".

I would definitely pay more for milk, providing the cash went to the farmers, rather than added yet more profit to the evil empires.

I cancelled mine because our doorstep is south facing, and it was going off if I was out as he delivered at any time of the day. Then a new firm started up and he was so noisy at 4am that we all protested because he woke us all up. To no avail, so we all cancelled.

Sounds like we are all better off without the doorstep deliveries then.

No doorstep milk delivery in my area any more so I buy from supermarkets. I buy Cravendale, which is a very good price, and it is British milk which means supporting British farmers and, hopefully, helping to reduce carbon footprints!

I don't use milk because it's production involves awful cruelty but feel sorry for the farmers (as well as the cows). Supermarkets treat their suppliers abominably. Milk should not be cheaper than bottled water.

Oh the influence of Gransnet. Just bought my first ever bottle of organic milk. I wonder if it will tast better?

I would be happy to pay more as I know the farmers have a raw deal with all their products, but tbqh, I really don't know how much I pay for milk