No sparks for M&S milk campaign

12 April 1999

No sparks for M&S milk campaign

FINANCIAL support among retailers appears to be dwindling for a generic advertising campaign supporting the milk industry.

Having benefited from its own campaign last autumn, Marks and Spencer was keen to work with the industry on a generic campaign.

But since its campaign, M&S has lost any increase in milk sales because other retailers have reduced their prices.

“Were not making our margins and I struggle to understand how they cover their costs,” said M&S merchandiser Yves Fourcade about the big supermarkets.

Despite his current concerns, Mr Fourcade is still keen to push milk. But unlike last year when M&S paid for its own campaign, the money must now come from farmers.

Other retailers who had backed the proposed campaign last autumn declined to say whether were continuing to support the generic advertising campaign.

The news follows a letter to the NFU last month from Agriculture Minister Nick Brown who said that funding a campaign would have to be voluntary.