The growth of anti-dairy sentiment internationally has been a trend that The Dealer has observed, mainly from afar. However, the vegan lobby has been seen much closer to home in recent weeks, with the National Dairy Council becoming the target of a concerted campaign.

The NDC’s latest advertising campaign – Irish dairy – the complete natural – asked consumers: “Looking for a completely natural plant-based milk? Irish cows are fed outdoors on a diet of fresh, green grass.”

It seems the use of the phrase “plant-based milk” has irked vegans, who submitted more than 100 official complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland, which will now examine the ad. Watch this space.