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Latest figures from Tesco Stores in the UK confirm that the supermarket’s localchoice milk is shaking up the milk aisle as shoppers choose to support smaller dairy farmers in their local area.

According to Tesco’s 2008 Corporate Responsibility Review, customers bought 18 million litres of localchoice milk last year and the supermarket confirmed it is currently selling 500,000 litres a week across the UK where it is stocked in nearly 800 stores.

Launched last year across 14 regions, the milk - which is sourced exclusively from the region where it is sold - is now available in 20 regions across England, Scotland and Wales with more than 150 farmers signed up and receiving a premium price for their milk.

Tesco Corporate and Legal Affairs Director Lucy Neville-Rolfe said: "Since its launch our localchoice milk has gone from strength to strength. Customers love it because it gives them the choice to be able to buy milk from their area and support farmers from their region. And the additional support given to these smaller farmers is helping them to build a brighter and more sustainable future.

“This year we plan to put localchoice into even more stores and will rollout new packaging and promotional material to make it even more eye-catching for customers. We hope to make localchoice milk the nation’s first choice wherever they are in the country.”