The aim of this paper is to give an overview of current experiences of implementing school milk programmes, to discuss general trends in the development of such programmes and to draw conclusions about their future role as vehicles for promoting milk consumption.
The aim of this paper is to give an overview of current experiences of implementing school milk programmes, to discuss general trends in the development of such programmes and to draw conclusions about their future role as vehicles for promoting milk consumption.
For some, school milk by definition implies a programme supported, both financially and administratively, by government. For others, school milk is literally the distribution of milk in schools by whatever means: government programmes, promotion by the industry or, simply, commercial supplies of milk to schools. For the purposes of this paper, the latter definition was adopted and consequently the scope data collected during the survey was defined as “milk in schools” and not “school milk programmes.”
For any country, school milk represents only one of the many segments which make up the national dairy market. However, the importance of milk and dairy products in schools lies not just in the size of the market itself, but also in its consumers: children. Children represent an important market, not only because they drink more milk per head than adults, but, also, because dietary habits established in childhood persist into adult life. Thus, children who drink milk and consume dairy products regularly will continue to do so as adults. While the home environment is important in determining preferences regarding food consumption; so is that of the school.
