Well the law is govt controlled and politically influenced is it not? Is Dairy the largest industry in Australia & New Zealand? In the world? If not the largest, it must be up there in the top three.
What do you think the judge must do? Cull an industry with his verdict? bring the dairy industry to its knees?
I think not.
If all Lion needs to do to win the case is prove a1 milk is not harmful and if their stance and defence re labelling was in fact, not to mislead but in fact to bring to consumers attention that milk does indeed contain 2 proteins and that their milk contains both those proteins on the basis both are beneficial to most people, then that is the way Govt and dairy farmers would like it. They may concede that a few people may feel better drinking a2 milk but most "feel" no difference in this way it's a win, win for the dairy industry. On the basis of 'why would you pay 3x as much for milk when you don't need to.
This is how Govt and Dairy want the status quo to remain. The huge wheat industry loses a few customers to gluten free, or jumped on the G/F bandwagon themselves. In this way a1 free and gluten free needs and preferences are catered for. Producing g/f alternatives has not brought the wheat industry to its knees because people still eat wheat bread, drink beer, etc., it just moved over and allowed alternatives in. Now beer companies produce g/f beer as well which is totally beneficial for business, bakers produce g/f bread etc, again good business practice and most products that never contained gluten are marketed as gluten free, very good business practice.
It's a pity Lion did not do the same, either try to produce an a2 milk or continue on with a1 milk. Lion do not have a point of difference, in terms of organic or a2, they are just ordinary bog standard milk with no point of difference. I expect Some bright spark on the board stood up n said "we need a point of difference, differentiation is the name of the game find one for us" some brighter spark on the marketing team decided to create that point of difference By trying to mislead people into believing they were a2 at a1 prices and when they were brought to task by a2 in an attempt to defend their actions by advising that their labelling was informing the market that milk contains both proteins and both are naturally occuring (ie natural meaning beneficial) since Govt would be dead against having it proven that a1 is harmful. Then it is likely that Lions defence is the obvious favourite and they hold the trump card - the world wide dairy industry at stake.
Life is politically manipulated. Tall poppies get their heads cut off. Lowest common denominator rules.
Science is funded by industry and governments.
I'm totally 100% behind and in support of a2 milk, but I'm not sure whether wisdom would have been to do nothing and leave the decision up to the consumer to be hoodwinked or not or "feel the difference" for themselves and take Lion to task by complaining and in time through customer complaints would force label change. a2 certainly have opened up a can of worms and is unlikely to win if it's come down to proving a1 is harmful.
"Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive"
Lion would still have its Lions share, as most people will still drink standard a1 milk, a2 milk is a premium product at a premium price, many can't afford to try the milk to feel the difference plus most people's gut is damaged so badly that they aren't going to "feel the difference" because it's not the only thing they are consuming that is damaging the gut, it is only those who are reactive and whom flare up on standard dairy who will find a2 milk does not trigger that reaction. Most people believe that lack of symptoms is a lack of disease, unfortunately this is not the case, in fact the opposite is true, however most are ignorant to this understanding that in fact lack of symptoms is asymptomatic which means that basically the immune system does not have enough energy to react.
I don't know how the case is progressing, it is clear Lion had a good old go at trying to attract the a2 market with a cheaper price, was it a naive and frankly stupid marketing strategy or a conspiracy plan. Interesting thought but my money is on a desperate attempt to find a point of difference. They have not conceded but considered their best form of defence be attack with the dairy industry n Govt bahind them all the way, which could save them.
Any thoughts?
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