Bring back the Milkman!
In an attempt to reduce our plastic waste, we decided one of the quick wins was to switch from large, plastic bottles of supermarket milk to milk delivered to the door, a.k.a the milkman.
The company we use is called Milk and More and they cover most of the UK. Importantly, they are committed to reducing their plastic footprint, and as a result the amount of plastic packaged products they offer is reducing. Also, they offer an excellent range of organic products, a plus point for those who care about animal welfare as well as the planet. The downside is the cost. There is no doubt that your local supermarket (even Waitrose) is cheaper. In some cases a lot cheaper, given that 2 pints of organic milk in a plastic bottle can cost around £1.30 for a supermarket’s own brand. The cost of a pint of organic milk from Milk and More is 95p*.
Ordering is simple and is done like many other online transactions: you order and pay in advance and the milk gets delivered. It is also possible to make regular orders, but we had so many issues with incorrect orders that we order only as and when we need to. We do it online using a smartphone. It takes minutes using their clear, simple system. There is an option to keep your payment details stored, making it even quicker to order. The best bit: they promise delivery by 7AM, as long as orders are made by 9PM the previous evening, they have never missed this.
Also, there is something to say about milk in glass bottles, it tastes better. Don’t ask me to explain this, I can’t. It just does.
After testing this with orders for adults milk only, we were so happy that we now get all the family’s milk delivered by the milkman. The higher costs offset by excellent service, re-used glass bottles and organically farmed milk.
*As of January 2019.
Eco Family Life 