Müller’s Skelmersdale site in Lancashire, United Kingdom, faced an operational failure causing milk collection disruptions, forcing over 100 farmers to dump milk. Farmers protested on TikTok, voicing frustrations over the company’s handling of the crisis. Although Müller promised full compensation, the incident highlights deeper vulnerabilities within the UK’s dairy sector.
Müller, one of the leading dairy companies in the United Kingdom, headquartered in Market Drayton, England, is facing intense backlash after an operational glitch at its Skelmersdale site in Lancashire caused widespread milk collection disruptions. Founded in Germany and operating across Europe, Müller UK & Ireland Group supplies a range of dairy products to retailers and consumers across Britain.
The operational failure, which has since been resolved, left more than 100 dairy farmers — many of whom had joined Müller through the acquisition of Yew Tree Dairy — with no choice but to dispose of thousands of litres of fresh milk. In response, frustrated farmers have taken to TikTok to highlight the crisis, drawing widespread attention to the fragility of the British dairy supply chain.
One of the farmers, Marc Harvey, criticized the company’s communication failures, stating, “
Six months with Müller Yewtree and what is going on is beyond words. It’s a complete waste… Müller does not even have the decency to contact their suppliers.”
While Müller has assured full compensation for affected farmers and described the situation as amplified by “social media inaccuracies,” the damage — both financial and reputational — is already significant. The company’s assurance has done little to ease the anger among farmers who continue to face tight margins amid broader market and government pressures.
This incident highlights how even minor disruptions can ripple across the entire dairy industry, affecting livelihoods and stirring public outrage. As stakeholders monitor the situation, attention is now turning to how contractual obligations and crisis communication practices in the dairy sector might evolve to better protect farmers.
