Gen Z demand for British dairy rises

AHDB, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, is returning its Let’s Eat Balanced campaign to screens, social-media feeds and retail outlets in September. The activity will promote British dairy through messages about nutrition, food production and farming.

The campaign follows a three-percentage-point increase in dairy purchase intent among Gen Z recorded between September 2025 and January 2026. AHDB said audience research also showed greater openness among younger consumers to learning about nutrition, the origins of food and British farming.

Running for the full month of September, the campaign is designed to reach four in five main shoppers. Its messaging describes British dairy as nutrient-dense, high-quality protein that can be included in a healthy and balanced diet and lifestyle.

Carrie McDermid, AHDB’s head of marketing, said several years of continued investment and consistent communication had helped strengthen positive views of the campaign, confidence in British produce and a group of consumer advocates. She said the latest audience findings showed younger people were increasingly willing to become better informed about food origins and to feel more connected to the farmers who produce it.

The September programme follows the campaign’s reported performance during 2025–26. It reached 91% of adults, with the average adult seeing it nine times. Content published on social platforms produced 265m impressions and 41m engagements over the year.

Retail activity formed another part of the campaign. Partnerships with seven major supermarkets placed 12.8m stickers and other point-of-sale materials on or near products. The renewed campaign will also appear in supermarket stores and on retailer websites, as well as on television and on-demand services.

The This & That advertisements are returning on major television channels and streaming platforms. AHDB plans more than 57m impressions across Facebook and Instagram, alongside in-store and online support from the seven supermarket partners.