Have you seen videos of people pouring milk down drains on your social media feeds?
The likes of TikTok and X have been awash lately with conspiracy theories and misinformation about the breakfast staple.
Even Bill Gates has been dragged into the storm.
And it all stems from what could have been a positive story about sustainable farming.
Arla Foods announced last month that 30 of its UK farms will trial the Boevar feed additive, which can reduce the methane from cattle by up to 30 per cent.
With methane being such a potent greenhouse gas - and experts assuring that the additive doesn’t pose any human health risks - all seemed positive.
The company behind household brands like Cravendale, Lurpak and Skyr said in a post on X announcing the trial that it “represents an amazing chance to reduce emissions on farm.”
We have just announced a new project with @Morrisons, @Tesco and @AldiUK to trial the use of feed additive, Bovaer® on ~30 Arla farms. Bovaer® can reduce emissions from cows by 27%, and this represents an amazing chance to reduce emissions on farm. #agriculture #climate pic.twitter.com/XaGmopwVJg
— Arla Foods UK (@ArlaFoodsUK) November 26, 2024
But while the additive may not be harmful to humans, it has given Arla’s reputation a bit of a kicking.
Parts of social media are not fond of experts. While some users may have genuine concerns about what is in food and drink, there is a sizeable tin foil hat-wearing brigade of climate deniers and conspiracy theorists that know better than everyone else, and that is always ready for a bandwagon to jump on.
And the UK’s biggest dairy cooperative quickly found itself at the centre of a social media storm and calls for a boycott of the company, along with the supermarkets that sell its products.
The Arla post itself received more than 13,000 comments and was reposted more than 6,000 times. Videos shared on TikTok showing milk being thrown away have received millions of views.
Some have raised questions about the composition of the additive. Others have claimed the trial is part of a “depopulation” plan by US billionaire Bill Gates.
This spot of Boevar is unhelpful for Arla and a sector that needs to show it can be more sustainable.
What has Arla said?
It has criticised the misinformation and tried to reassure customers.
“Our commitment to reducing our climate impact is unwavering but we would never do so in a way that jeopardises the health of our consumers or the welfare of our animals,” it said.
It added that the additive had been “researched for over 15 years and is already used in many countries around the world,” and added “facts” about the product from its manufacturer DSM Firmenich.
What can others learn from this?
It is a reminder of the power of social media and so-called citizen journalists. Elon Musk regularly tells users of his X platform that “you are the media now”.
The truth and quality in the ‘stories’ reported on X do not appear to matter.
Even what seems like a relatively routine announcement, like the Arla one, can be quickly highjacked and spiral out of control.
And that has potentially serious implications for brand image and reputation. Are positive announcements in your crisis comms plan?
Then, of course, there is the reputation of the additive. You can’t imagine many other companies rushing to use it after seeing the backlash.
Some have gone further and already distanced themselves from it.
Yeo Valley Organic, for example, has said that it “does not allow feed additives for the reduction of methane within our supply chain.”
What can you do in this situation?
We are often asked about social media boycotts and storms during our crisis communication training courses. Here are some of our tips:
Monitor
Put good monitoring tools in place that track your brand mentions.
The social media fallout could happen on channels you don’t use - some brands have distanced themselves from X, for example.
The better your monitoring, the quicker you can respond if you need to.
Do you need to respond?
It may sound like it contradicts what we have just said, but you must consider whether you need to respond.
These social media storms and boycott calls can come and go quickly. Outrage is often short-lived, and attention rapidly moves on to something else.
Arla had to respond. Not just because of the size of the social media reaction but also because the story has moved to mainstream media, where it has been widely covered. I’ve seen articles in trade publications like The Grocer and Farmers Weekly and national titles, including The Telegraph, Daily Mail, Sky News and BBC News.
As Arla UK’s managing director Bas Padberg said: “It is very important we manage the misinformation out there to take away the concerns of people.”
But in other cases, responding could amplify an issue that could quickly blow over.
Human
If you do respond, stick to a human tone.
Your customers want to know that you care, so your response must show compassion, concern, honesty and empathy, particularly to those with genuine worries.
Use double-checked facts to counter the concerns. And don’t fall into the trap of repeating false claims to debunk them.
Preparation
This is crucial.
Make sure misinformation is part of your crisis media management planning and ensure you know what to do if it happens.
Would you respond? How would you respond? What channels would you use? Would you put someone forward for an interview?
What would you do if misinformation spread overnight?
Just like other forms of crisis, misinformation can strike at any time. And you don’t want to find yourself crying over spilt milk.
Media First are media and communications training specialists with nearly 40 years of experience.
We have a team of trainers, each with decades of experience working as journalists, presenters, communications coaches and media trainers.
Click here to find out more about our crisis communication and social media training courses.
