Rural and farming campaigners have hit back following news that an anti-dairy advert is set to play at cinemas across the country later this year.
The Viva! advertisement has been criticised as ‘hysterical’, with suggestions for cinemagoers to their own back by treating themselves to an ice cream.
The vegan charity’s ad runs for just over a minute, and shows a mother tucking her newborn into bed, only for a vampiric figure to appear the moment she turns the lights off.
When she flicks the switch once more, her baby is gone. “You can’t keep your baby because we want your milk” the sinister figure says with a smirk.
The footage then cuts to a penned calf, with the suggestion being made that it will be slaughtered for meat.
The Countryside Alliance, which campaigns for farmers and rural communities, called the advertisement ‘sensationalist nonsense’.
The British Dietitians Association has stated that for many people, cutting milk and dairy out is “likely to do more harm than good”, as they play an important role within a balanced diet.
Milk and dairy typically provide almost one third of recommended calcium intakes, the body states, and that the main dietary source of B12 for vegetarians is dairy.
Dairy consumption has recently experienced a resurgence, to the detriment of vegan brands such as Oatly.
The company launched its vegan ice creams in 2019, but in 2023 announced it was withdrawing them from UK stores.
Food giants Nestle and Innocent similarly withdrew plant-based alternatives from stores across the country.
Responding to the cinema advert, Johnnie Furse, spokesman for the Countryside Alliance, said: “People who are merely looking to spend an enjoyable time out will have no choice but to sit through this biased, out of touch video.
“Dairy remains an incredibly popular choice in the UK and people should not be criticised for their dietary preferences.”
He added “I, for one, will relish tucking into a pot of delicious ice cream the next time I go to the cinema, proud to be supporting British farmers, and undeterred by any attempts to put me off. I encourage other cinemagoers to do the same”.
It is not the first time Viva! has sparked criticism over an advert. In 2018, the Advertising Standards Authority banned one of their adverts for being misleading.
Another pro-vegan advert by the charity, displayed on buses in September 2017, was banned by the watchdog for similar reasons.
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