July 2025: This summer, leading UK vegan charity Viva! embarks on a nationwide campaign, offering free dairy-free ice cream to showcase the deliciousness of plant-based foods.
Dubbed the ‘Dairy is Scary’ Tour, this bold nationwide campaign combines the power of cold treats and cold, hard truth. Viva! campaigners will be visiting major UK cities to expose the dark side of the dairy industry – starting with the systematic slaughter of male calves – and to challenge the cosy, pastoral image sold to consumers.
In 2024 alone, over 80,000 male calves under eight months old were slaughtered in the UK dairy industry because they cannot produce milk.
Alongside distributing household favourite Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, the Viva! team will be engaging with the public, revealing the truth behind dairy product origins.
Participants can also immerse themselves in an eye-opening experience designed to illuminate the life of a dairy cow. Equipped with headphones, individuals witness real footage from Viva!'s extensive investigations spanning three decades, offering a unique glimpse into the dairy industry.
The tour commences in Bath on 21 July, with subsequent stops planned in Birmingham, Cardiff, Plymouth, and Southampton.
21 July - Bath
23 July - Birmingham
25 July - Cardiff
27 July - Hastings
27 July - Brighton
26 July - Lincoln
26 July - Bath (second event)
26 July - Swansea
26 July - Worcester
27 July - Harrogate
31 July - Plymouth
2 August - Southampton
2 August - Shrewsbury
Laura Hellwig, Managing Director of Viva!, expressed enthusiasm about the upcoming tour:
"I’m so excited for Viva! to hit the road this summer! We want to show the public just how tasty plant-based food can be. A lot of people are put off trying vegan options because they don’t know what to expect, but once they taste it, they’re amazed."
"The dairy industry thrives on secrecy. Behind the picturesque farmyard image is a brutal system of forced pregnancies, early calf deaths, and emotional trauma. It’s every bit as cruel as meat production – if not worse. With this tour, we’re asking people to see the truth and make a kinder choice."
The ‘Dairy is Scary’ tour builds on the momentum of Viva!’s recent cinema ad campaign, which aired in over 300 cinemas, reached more than a million viewers and sparked fierce national debate. Despite backlash from farmers and critics, the ad struck a chord, especially with younger audiences, by exposing what most people never see.
Viva!’s commissioned research reveals a widespread gap in public knowledge: 60% of people don’t know that cows must be forcibly impregnated to produce milk, or that male calves are typically slaughtered as ‘by-products’ of dairy.
