Major supermarket clears the air after Aussies vowed to boycott its competitor Coles over controversial Bovaer cattle additive

A major supermarket has insisted its supply chain does not use a controversial livestock additive, prompting customers to vow to boycott their rival Coles.

Coles announced in November 2023 that some beef suppliers would expand the use of Bovaer in cattle feed after two studies found the supplement reduced methane emissions by ‘at least 50 per cent’.

But the use of the additive caused a storm of controversy earlier this month after Britain’s largest dairy co-operative announced a Bovaer trial.

Many conspiracy theories, often involving Bill Gates, have surfaced online claiming it can cause cancer or affect fertility.

However, experts have previously told Daily Mail this That customers have nothing to worry about and concerns about cancer risk are unfounded.

In the wake of the controversy, Aldi Australia was asked by a social media user whether cattle in its supply chain were fed the additive.

“We understand from our direct suppliers that Bovaer is not used within our meat or dairy chain in Australia,” the company responded to X.

A spokesperson for Aldi said it is ‘committed to environmental sustainability and animal welfare, along with ensuring the safety and health of our customers’.

“As a food retailer, we align ourselves with the decisions being made by healthcare regulators around the world regarding the safety of additives,” the spokesperson added.

‘Our commitment to product safety is unwavering and we ensure that all products meet our strict standards.’

It is understood that none of Woolworths’ livestock farmers use Bovaer in their supply chain.

At Coles, the supplement is exclusively used for the supermarkets’ ‘Finest Carbon Neutral’ product range.

Bovaer is fed to cows to suppress an enzyme that causes the production of methane, a gas that contributes to climate change.

The methane supplement is made from silicon dioxide, propylene glycol and the organic compound 3-nitrooxypropanol (known as 3-NOP).

There is no evidence that the drug, produced by Swiss-Dutch manufacturer DSM-Firmenich, is unsafe for consumers, or that it passes into milk or meat.

Bovaer senior vice president Mark Van Nieuwland told the ABC the product had been widely tested and labeled the conspiracy theories surrounding it as ‘fake news’.

‘For example, the European Food Standards authorities or the British Food Standards look at the evidence that has been collected over the years [and] assess that independently,” he said.

“There’s even a public comment period for that, and then [they] came to a conclusion and they all came to the conclusion that the product was safe.”

But many Australian conspiracy theorists remain suspicious, prompting dairy suppliers to reveal whether or not they use the additive.

Victorian farm Bass River Dairies announced earlier this month that it was selling ‘whole fart milk’ from cows not fed Bovaer feed, while Norco also confirmed it was not using the supplement.

“At Norco, we pride ourselves on making high-quality, natural dairy products,” the report said.

Outspoken anti-vaxxer and former federal politician Craig Kelly praised dairy companies for not using the supplement.

“Good job Norco, listening to the crowd,” he said.

‘We don’t want to drink milk from cows that have been drugged with Bovaer.

‘And we don’t want to eat meat from cattle drugged with Bovaer either, so all Coles meat is off the shopping list.’

Hundreds of fellow critics of the supplement responded to Mr. Kelly’s post.

“I don’t want anything to do with Bovaer, and we can all vote with our choices. Hopefully Coles will learn a very bad lesson from this,” said one.

A second added: ‘Coles doesn’t sell anything you can’t get elsewhere. They will never get another cent from me. I have been a loyal Coles shopper for thirty years.”

‘A large group of your customers do not want to eat food that you have tampered with. We just want healthy natural food,” said a third.

Coles has responded to the backlash, telling customers that the product is completely safe.

“Coles prioritizes food safety and animal welfare and we are committed to improving the sustainability of our business,” a spokesperson said.

‘Bovaer has been extensively researched and approved over the past 15 years by leading food safety organisations, including Food Standards Agency UK and the European Food Safety Authority.’

In Britain, customers are also threatening to boycott Danish firm Arla – which owns Britain’s largest dairy conglomerate – over its use of the drug.

Major supermarkets Tesco and Asda are among the stores stocking Arla milk.

Arla fired back at what it called “misinformation” surrounding the additive on social media.

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates invested millions in Rumin 8, a company developing similar methane-reducing supplements, in early 2023 through his investment firm Breakthrough Energy Ventures.

In Britain there was confusion between Bovaer and the Rumin 8 company that had benefited from Gates’ investment.

Bovaer is approved for use in dozens of countries, including Australia and Great Britain.