A major dairy marketing push has delivered a standout win for British farmers, with AHDB’s Let’s Eat Balanced campaign generating £28 in extra dairy sales for every £1 invested — a striking return at a time when the sector badly needs firm consumer support.
Independent analysis published by NIQ shows the levy organisation's January 2025 campaign drove £11.9m in additional sales across milk, cheese and yoghurt.
The results highlight how smart, targeted marketing can shift buying habits and strengthen demand for British dairy in a marketplace defined by volatile prices, rising costs and fierce competition.
Television proved the biggest driver of growth, responsible for 44.2% of the uplift. Digital activity also performed strongly, and when ads ran across both traditional and on-demand platforms the impact increased further, delivering almost 2% extra incremental milk sales.
AHDB says this multi-channel strategy helps keep British dairy front-of-mind for shoppers by meeting families where they seek information, meal ideas and nutritional advice.
“This is a great outcome for our levy payers and a clear demonstration of AHDB’s ability to drive growth for the Dairy sector,” said Paul Flanagan, AHDB’s dairy sector director.
“It shows that when we invest in strategic marketing, we strengthen consumer trust, build long-term demand, and deliver real value back to our levy payers.”
Let’s Eat Balanced promotes lean British meat and dairy as part of a varied diet, highlighting their protein, vitamin B12 and natural nutritional value, while showcasing the environmentally friendlier practices used by many British farmers.
A key part of the campaign is its focus on trust and provenance. Through real stories from British farmers — from grazing systems to high welfare and environmental improvements — Let’s Eat Balanced aims to reassure shoppers that choosing British dairy supports food produced to world-leading standards.
By putting farmers on screen and online, the campaign helps consumers make the connection between nutritious dairy foods and the people who produce them.
Producers say this support is increasingly vital as high input costs and shifting consumer behaviour continue to pressure margins. Strong retail demand helps stabilise the market for British milk and reinforces dairy’s reputation as a nutritious, affordable staple.
Carrie McDermid, head of domestic marketing, said the campaign's figures show the strength of pairing nutrition messages with farmer-led storytelling. “We’re delighted to see such strong results from the Let’s Eat Balanced dairy marketing mixed model research,” she said.
“The campaign continues to show how combining clear nutritional messages with real stories from British farmers can make a genuine impact.”
