Bottled milk
IN PHOTO: Fresh milk bottles are displayed on desk during a demonstration by Italian agricultural association Coldiretti in Rome, March 31, 2015. European Union farmers will for the first time since 1984 have no legal restrictions on the amount of milk they can produce as the EU abolishes milk production quotas. Reuters/Stefano Rellandini

Lewis Road Creamery has changed the face of their 1.5 litre organic cow’s milk with a label that reads “Breast Milk: the cow’s milk that funds the cure”, but reports say that this advertising received criticism from breast feeding advocates. The labelling is supposed to be a fundraising campaign for breast cancer research.

For every twenty cents from the sale of the 1.5 litre bottle, a consumer would help donate funds to the Breast Cancer Cure, a charity-based organisation devoted to helping find a cure for breast cancer in three years’ time.

The milk bottle will be displayed in New Zealand grocery shelves for three months starting Wednesday. Despite carrying the label “Breast Milk”, marketing director Angela Weeks said that the product has always been fresh from the farm and the cow’s udders, according to Scoop.

“We were approached by Breast Cancer Cure with the idea and we loved it from the beginning. It is a bold way to help raise vital funds for a very important and worthy cause close to the hearts of many New Zealanders,” said Weeks.

Meanwhile, this “bold” move to support breast cancer research was not accepted by breastfeeding advocates. According to Julie Stufkens, chief executive for New Zealand Breastfeeding Authority, she considered the move disrespectful and said that cow milk was inappropriately put in the same level as human milk.

"Sadly I think this is misguided advertising," she said in a report from NZ Herald. Stufkens is concerned about having consumers mistake the product for actual breast milk.

Weeks said it was not the company’s intention to offend women or come up with a misleading form of advertising. She defends that the bottle clearly states twice on the front and on the back that it contains cow’s milk.

Furthermore, Weeks explained that the milk is placed in the section where regular milks are. “… So we are confident customers will see it for what it is--a fundraising initiative.” Lisa Manning, Le Leche League NZ spokeswoman, also thought that people are not that “silly” to pick up the product and believe it to be actual breast milk.

Sources indicate that Weeks said the company has already given the heads up to the Breastfeeding Authority about the campaign. The company only hopes that the steps they have taken will let people see that the product is for a good cause.

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