25 Sep 2025
These are not just any cows. These are Marks & Spencer dairy cows. But are they happy? MP Daisy Cooper seems to think so.
The St Albans MP has come under fire for a social media post about sustainability and animal welfare with a video of her standing at a marketing tool in the London Colney branch of M&S.
A sign reads ‘We think happier cows make the tastiest milk’.
The video shows her pushing a button to to trigger a ‘moo’ sound, much to the amusement of staff and other onlookers.
In a post on her official Facebook account she went into detail about the store’s offering: “The London Colney M&S store in St Albans is one of the largest M&S stores in the country and after its big revamp it was great to get a tour today and talk all things retail.
“There’s a really big drive for fresh food and sustainability, so some bakery goods that don’t sell same day are frozen and available to buy then eat for up to six weeks.
“There’s a new beauty section too, headed up by Jo, their online socials queen who replies to customer queries and job enquiries online.
“We discussed the broken business rates system – the tax that is killing the high street and squeezing out of town retail too, and routes into employment including their partnerships with job centres and the Kings Trust. Oh and if you have little kids in tow there are kids trolleys and the Moooooooooo machines! Turns out, even big kids are allowed a go.”
But the post received backlash from local vegans saying dairy farming was a cruel industry and that perhaps she should be more informed of what actually goes on in milk production.
Daisy told the St Albans Times: “As a liberal, I believe that people should also be able to make informed choices about the products they buy and consume. When it comes to milk, nothing beats cow’s milk for nutrition and cost, but some people choose non-dairy alternatives, for medical, ethical or religious reasons, or just because of personal preference.
“During my visit to M&S in Colney Fields, I was pleased to learn that M&S has become the first major retailer to sell RSPCA Assured fresh milk. This means that every farm is independently assessed by the RSPCA for animal welfare standards, and the results made available online so that customers can see the farm locations and assessment results for themselves.
“Such transparency is crucial to ensuring customers can make informed decisions on the products they buy and consume, and that’s why my party and I are pushing for an overhaul of food labelling, to bring in new rules requiring clear information on the environmental impact of products, and the conditions in which an animal was kept.”
St Albans resident and vegan activist Christine Pedder said: “It’s hard to believe the mass ignorance around this issue.
“Dairy cows are forcibly impregnated every year. They are commonly kept in sheds and have all their babies removed from them after a nine-month pregnancy. They are milked by machines and slaughtered at half or less of their natural life span if they are not killed at birth.”
Christine, who has been a vegan for 15 years, explained that many people see adverts with dairy cows in fields in the sunshine, but stressed the reality was far different.
“There is no such thing as a happy dairy cow. It is a horrific industry that consists of enslaving a sentient being for the benefit of those who have no idea of the reality.
“I think it is irresponsible of a leader such as Daisy to be advocating the horrific abuse that is involved.”
Vegan and Green Party district councillor Juliet Voisey said: “What seems like a bit of fun at M&S food hall with a cow milk machine is actually a complete trivialisation of what really goes into producing cow’s milk, and highlights yet another supermarket completely out of touch with current issues. Why aren’t they offering different plant milks to try?
“Supermarkets have the power to take the lead on environment and sustainability when it comes to driving consumer change yet they consistently show a complete lack of responsibility. Other examples include supermarkets with pictures of fish being caught by fishing lines or spending millions on a store refurb that includes a dry aged beef cabinet and better meat and fish counters. This is greenwashing and glorification of the meat and dairy industry with its increase in health issues and factory farming.
“We need supermarkets to be bold and drive the change needed for a healthier planet and an end to the animal cruelty. They don’t need to demand everyone suddenly turns vegan, they just need to think more and promote plant-based alternatives above meat and dairy.
“The Plant Based Treaty has been adopted by many towns and cities in the UK and St Albans could do the same. There are many helpful ideas on the promotion of plant-based foods individually and collectively. One of the initiatives involves businesses removing the surcharge for plant milks on hot drinks and displaying a sticker in their window. If anyone would like to help with campaigning for the Plant Based Treaty, please get in touch with me.”
St Albans mum Hillary Childs said: “As a mother, I can’t think of anything less happy than to be pumped full of hormones, having your baby ripped away from you and then being wired up to some sort of automatic pumping system for hours at a time. M&S need to redefine their definition of happiness.
“With so many viable alternative milks on the market now there really is no excuse for putting these cows through this awful experience.”
Her five-year-old daughter Connie added: “I think they should take all the milk from out of the shops and give it back to the baby cows.”
Rose Patterson of campaign group Animal Rising said: “While we appreciate the growing public concern for animal welfare, the claim that cow’s milk is unmatched for nutrition, cost, and welfare standards does not stand up to scrutiny.
“From a health perspective, there is growing evidence linking high dairy consumption to increased risks of certain illnesses, including heart disease and some cancers, while plant-based alternatives often provide similar or better nutritional profiles without the saturated fats and hormones found in cow’s milk. The idea that dairy is essential for health is a myth long perpetuated by the industry rather than by science.
“On sustainability, dairy farming is one of the leading contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution, and deforestation. Plant-based milks, by contrast, have a fraction of the environmental impact.
“With the climate crisis accelerating, promoting dairy as a sustainable choice ignores the urgent need for a shift towards plant-based food systems.
“But perhaps most importantly, there is the question of ethics. Behind every pint of milk is the reality of mother cows being separated from their calves, animals living in cramped or barren environments, and routine practices like forced impregnation and early slaughter. These practices happen even on so-called ‘high welfare’ farms.
“Animal Rising’s investigations into RSPCA Assured farms revealed widespread suffering and neglect, raising serious concerns about how often these farms are inspected and whether standards are truly enforced.
“The RSPCA does not routinely publish detailed inspection reports or the frequency of inspections, leaving the public in the dark about what really happens behind closed doors. Far from offering full transparency, the scheme gives the illusion of animal welfare without guaranteeing it in practice.
“Consumers deserve honest labelling conveying the truth about the impact of the products they buy – on their health, the planet, and, most importantly, the animals themselves.
“And a transition to a plant-based food system would provide a kinder, healthier, and more sustainable choice for everyone.”
We contacted the press office of the RSPCA to ask whether they inspect every dairy farm that they assure and how they check each one is ethically safe – we are still awaiting a response.
