Why isn't milk sold as a convenience drink?

[Ribble]

Curious as to why it might be that I never see milk sold in the convenience fridge at the shop, with the water, cola and sandwich meal deals.

It's always at the back of the store in pints, never in a 330ml or 500ml bottle that's more comfortable to drink from on the go.

The closest I've seen is milkshakes, UHT and xanthan gum, and even those are often not with the fizzy pop and water.

Is it just sell by/ preservation issues?

I know that large drink companies dictate what's in the fridge sometimes in exchange for free branded fridges/ better prices, so that's part of it.

Perhaps it's been tried and there's just a lack of demand.

I can't help but think if it was made available in the right bottle, in the right fridge, it would sell well. Perhaps not.

 

[Wurzeetoo]

It’s all science that we put the milk at the back gets the customers walking past any promo bays boosting impulse sales. Your bang on with the fridges and what we are allowed to stock in them it’s very strict but you can argue with the rep in cases. From past experience I’ve seen cartons for convenience but it’s all long life stuff. If there was a body willing to invest in advertising and pos I’m sure it could be done

 

[betweenthelines]

Higher retailer margin on convenience food.

Plus the past negative publicity about dairy fat makes the public view sugar laden drinks and fat crammed sandwiches and pastries as "healthier"

 

[flowerpot]

Remember The White Stuff campaign? - that was a big success. I don't know why it was discontinued.

When my children were school age I remember going into the supermarket for something to drink as they were thirsty. On principle I rarely bought fizzy drinks (sugared water) and the cheapest drink was a small plastic bottle of milk. I was incensed (that the milk was so cheap and the cans so expensive).

There are milk shakes available, but OP you are right that milk doesn't seem to be regarded as a convenience drink.
Shelf life I suppose, and less profit for the fizzy drinks makers. Although UHT milk does keep quite well, once milk is out of the fridge it is on the way to going off, unlike a can that can roll round in the car for weeks and weeks.

 

[Ribble]

Higher retailer margin on convenience food.

Plus the past negative publicity about dairy fat makes the public view sugar laden drinks and fat crammed sandwiches and pastries as "healthier"

Yes, I think the margin is probably key. Maybe they don't feel they can justify selling a 330ml bottle for enough, when the pints at the back of the shop are sold at a certain price.

Then again water is marked up for no reason other than it's cold, and not in a multi pack, but I think that took many years of extremely expensive brainwashing to normalise.

 

[Servac]

Tesco wont let you have a 1 pint bottle of milk in their meal despite it being the cheapest drink. Doesn't make sense to me, it would probably only involve somone ticking a box on the computer. I complaimed, got the usual we will look into it.

 

[Kiss]

Friesland Campina are already on the job tastes amazing sell it in booker to

 

[Ribble]

Tesco wont let you have a 1 pint bottle of milk in their meal despite it being the cheapest drink. Doesn't make sense to me, it would probably only involve somone ticking a box on the computer. I complaimed, got the usual we will look into it.

Yes, they won't include it in the meal deal is what made me start thinking about this.

They'll include a £1.50 smoothie, but not a pint of milk. Seems to be nonsense.

 

[Chae1]

My son always chooses milk at McDonald's! Comes in small bottles. They've just recently started stocking it again.

 

[betweenthelines]

Yes, they won't include it in the meal deal is what made me start thinking about this.

They'll include a £1.50 smoothie, but not a pint of milk. Seems to be nonsense.

I wouldn't push this, if I were you. Retailers make the supplies fund specials like meal deals.

 

[4course]

It could be that there is not enough demand for drinking unadulterated milk, or is it a shelf life issue. I cannot drink a glass of milk just the thought of it makes me gag, nor can I stomach yoghurt. I think that goes back to the days of my primary school when we were made to drink a 1/3 rd of a pint of milk at break time ,in the winter it was frozen and the birds had pecked the lid, in the summer it was just off ,having been stood in the sun in the playground for hours .However I will happily have milk in coffee or in various sauces and or in any other form like cheese but straight milk for me is a no no

 

[Tarw Coch]

There was a lady on Facebook campaigning for milk to be included in the meal deals and sandwiches section some time ago, 12 months plus, the name Sylvia Crocker springs to mind or something similar, she was writing to supermarket managers asking them to add milk to the meal deals. Pretty sure she posted on the FFA Facebook group

 

[flowerpot]

It could be that there is not enough demand for drinking unadulterated milk, or is it a shelf life issue. I cannot drink a glass of milk just the thought of it makes me gag, nor can I stomach yoghurt. I think that goes back to the days of my primary school when we were made to drink a 1/3 rd of a pint of milk at break time ,in the winter it was frozen and the birds had pecked the lid, in the summer it was just off ,having been stood in the sun in the playground for hours .However I will happily have milk in coffee or in various sauces and or in any other form like cheese but straight milk for me is a no no

I remember those little bottles of milk and you are right about the frozen milk popped out of the bottle. I never remember sour milk though, ours must have been stored in the cool.

 

[Slippery Slope]

There was a lady on Facebook campaigning for milk to be included in the meal deals and sandwiches section some time ago, 12 months plus, the name Sylvia Crocker springs to mind or something similar, she was writing to supermarket managers asking them to add milk to the meal deals. Pretty sure she posted on the FFA Facebook group

I believe, but am not certain, that this was the lady who managed to convince a supermarket local to her to give it a go. Sales of milk increased dramatically and hence she started her campaign to roll out the initiative nationwide, sadly to no avail it would seem. The health benefits over fizzy drinks are the key points for marketing in my humble opinion.

 

[Frodo]

The argument about shelf life doesn’t make sense given the rest of the meal deal is a sandwich with an equally short shelf life.

 

[Beef farmer]

http://www.thepost.uk.com/article.cfm?id=110032&headline=Farmer convinces another supermarket to join her ‘milk and sarnies’ campaign&sectionIs=news&searchyear=2018

 

[Bald Rick]

Bring it back

 

[Beef farmer]

Bring it back

Stead up on ya deutz baldy, else you'll have auto steer!

 

[___\0/___]

Bring it back

It is back!!!!!


*In America

 

[deleted user 837354]

I would sooner drink milk as a convenience drink than anything else. Often in my previous job I would stop at a garage for lunch/brunch and mostly bought plain milk to have with me whilst I ate a bacon roll or sandwich.

Cheap, too.