Calls to boycott European retailer over cancer-causing ingredient

British supermarket giants Tesco, Aldi and Morrisons are facing social media boycott calls over consumer concerns about the use of a controversial new ingredient in Arla Foods dairy products.

The controversy centres around the introduction of an additive called Bovaer, which is designed to reduce methane emissions from cows as part of efforts to tackle climate change, and is being tested on cows producing Arla’s popular dairy products, such as Lurpak butter and Cravendale milk.

Concern

Some British consumers have expressed concern that the substance could “contaminate” milk and cause diseases such as cancer, prompting them to threaten to boycott the company’s products, including Lurpak butter, which is sold in stores such as Tesco, Morrisons and Lidl.

Company Response

In response to these allegations, Arla confirmed that the substance, approved by European and British regulatory bodies, is completely safe and does not migrate into milk, noting that it is already used safely in Europe, explaining that the substance aims to reduce the impact of climate change without any negative impact on its products.

The company spokesperson said: "The safety of consumers and animals is our top priority," adding that studies have confirmed that it does not negatively affect the health of cows or the quality of milk.

Despite the reassurances and confirmations from European and British authorities about the safety of the substance, many British consumers began posting videos on platforms such as TikTok of themselves throwing away dairy products in protest.

The US Food and Drug Administration warns

According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the product is not intended for human use, and warns that it harms fertility, is potentially harmful when inhaled, and is considered an irritant to the skin and eyes.

The agency recommends that people handling the product wear protective equipment such as glasses, masks, and gloves.

The claims that it causes cancer are based on studies conducted on mice that were evaluated by the Food Standards Agency in the United Kingdom. The results of the studies showed that giving mice a high dose of the product increased the risk of cancer in the mice.

Ultimately, the Food Standards Agency concluded that the product is not carcinogenic at the recommended dose, based on the absence of malignancies and genetic toxicity.