“The Government's milkshake tax is a wake-up call for Big Food.
"While they will scramble to dodge the tax by pumping products full of artificial sweeteners, we've spent years doing the opposite, championing genuinely natural ingredients that prioritise health.
“The biggest issue right now is lack of clarity. Without firm guidelines, we'll see the same playbook we saw with the soft drink levy: reformulation with synthetic sweeteners simply to meet thresholds, not improve health outcomes. That isn't progress: it's a loophole.”
“Consumers deserve better than ultra-processed shortcuts. A touch of natural sugar is not the villain here. What worries us far more are artificial replacements that many families simply don't want in their food.
“Milk is already nutritious: protein, calcium, vitamins - we've known this forever. Many milkshakes get part of their sweetness naturally from lactose, so the proposed lactose allowance is a sensible recognition of that.
“But we need clearer guidance, fast. Without it, the big players will reshape the dairy aisle based on spreadsheets, not public health.
“At Tom Parker, we've always taken a different approach. Our flavours come from real British free-range whole milk and carefully sourced natural ingredients - fruit purées, cacao, botanicals - and minimal added sugar. No synthetic sweeteners. No artificial shortcuts.
“As an independent dairy, we've invested in natural recipe development for years. Not because we were forced to, but because we believe families should have access to food that's both delicious and genuinely better made. That supports public health, British farming, and a more honest food industry.
“We'll continue to prioritise transparency, responsible innovation and products people can genuinely trust. Natural isn't a buzzword for us - it's been our business model from day one.”