Oatly Volunteers Half Of Its Ad Space With Dairy Brands For Free—With A Catch

Image via Oatly

Oatly is inviting its animal byproduct rivals to milk the other half of its advertising spots without forking out a single cent. However, its condition for sharing might deter them from taking on its “dairy deal.”

The Swedish oat milk brand—famed for producing dairy-free versions of milk, ice cream, and yogurt—is offering up free allocations in prime locations for cow milk companies who are willing to display the full climate footprint of their products. It’s an attempt to encourage more transparency in the food and beverage industry, whose processes account for 35% of greenhouse gas emissions in the UK.

Image via Oatly

Oatly, which has been printing its carbon emissions data onto packaging in the nation since 2019, wants “climate labeling” to be a norm for all food and drinks in the country. Car and appliance makers are already publishing their climate impact information, it says. “We believe that every food and drink company should do the same,” Oatly UK & Ireland general manager Bryan Carroll details.

Amid a time when companies are being extra modest with their marketing dollar, Oatly got the idea to volunteer half its billboard real estate with “Big Dairy” after a self-initiated survey found that UK consumers, particularly those in the 18–34 age bracket, are fond of the idea of carbon labels on food and drink wrappers.

62% of respondents were supportive of a policy to bring carbon labeling to food and beverage products, while 58% agreed that food and drink manufacturers “should be obliged” to disclose their climate information. In addition, 59% said they’d be more conscious about their consumption habits if they were shown these labels.

Image via Oatly

Oatly says it’s donating out-of-home space worth up to €140,000 (US$148,000) per placement at a “hipster district” in London (“never been cheaper!”), central spots in Manchester and “Berlin-ish,” and on the London Underground. There are also options for print and radio advertising.

Image via Oatly

“We don’t pretend that standardizing the measurement of climate impact of our food and drink will be easy. Nothing important ever is. But it will make choice easier for consumers, and as simple as possible for food and drink companies,” Carroll explains in a newly published Grey Paper.

“Working together to find the best way to provide this data [is] for the benefit of shoppers and, indeed, ultimately for all people and the planet.”

[via Euronews and Women’s Health, images via Oatly]