EU butter directive churns up protests

Waldemar Bros from the National Association of Dairy Cooperatives believes that the new policy will discourage customers from choosing dairy products, not least fatty options such as butter.

“This amounts to a promotion of other products than dairy ones,” he told television station TVP.

“And it's not butter that's the perpetrator of illness,” he argued, “but a bad lifestyle and a bad diet.”

Brussels has championed the directive as allowing customers to make a conscious choice, so that they are not misled as to whether a product is low or high in fat.

At present, the average Pole consumes 4kg of butter annually. This level has remained the same for several years. However, producers are now fearful of a dip in interest.

Poland's market is not confined to within its own borders. Exports of butter are made to parts of Africa, Asia and South America.(nh/pg)