Dairy Tales: Arla’s Smokescreen for its Lack of Climate Action

The report examines Arla's climate strategies, finding that its net-zero commitments fail to meet most UN recommendations and that its focus on technological solutions like biogas does not address its primary methane emissions. It further alleges that Arla engages in lobbying to derail EU climate legislation and uses misleading marketing campaigns to present its products as carbon neutral.

• Arla's net-zero commitments are largely non-compliant with UN recommendations for credible targets; of nine relevant recommendations, the company only fulfils one and partially fulfils five. Specifically, Arla lacks separate reduction targets for non-CO2 emissions like methane and relies on unproven research and developments.
• The company's focus on biogas as a climate solution is insufficient, as it does not address the main source of emissions. Estimates indicate that biogas currently saves only 2.6% of Arla's emissions per kilo of milk, with a maximum potential of 15% compared to 2015 levels.
• Arla is accused of using lobbying to obstruct climate policy within the EU, including efforts to prevent the inclusion of agriculture in the Methane Strategy and blocking alternative drinks from school food programmes.

APA

Changing Markets Foundation (2025). Dairy Tales: Arla’s Smokescreen for its Lack of Climate Action. https://changingmarkets.org/report/dairytales-arlas-smokescreen-for-its-lack-of-climate-action/

Chicago

Changing Markets Foundation. Dairy Tales: Arla’s Smokescreen for its Lack of Climate Action. 2025. https://changingmarkets.org/report/dairytales-arlas-smokescreen-for-its-lack-of-climate-action/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Changing Markets Foundation |title=Dairy Tales: Arla’s Smokescreen for its Lack of Climate Action |date=11 February 2025 |url=https://changingmarkets.org/report/dairytales-arlas-smokescreen-for-its-lack-of-climate-action/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{changingmarketsfoundation2025dairy, author = {{Changing Markets Foundation}}, title = {{Dairy Tales: Arla’s Smokescreen for its Lack of Climate Action}}, institution = {Changing Markets Foundation}, year = {2025}, month = feb, url = {https://changingmarkets.org/report/dairytales-arlas-smokescreen-for-its-lack-of-climate-action/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }