Asda Vitamin D milk has been launched in Asda stores across the UK. This fortified fresh milk from Arla is designed to help customers obtain their recommended daily allowance of Vitamin D.

The launch, a first to market innovation, is in response to increased consumer demand for products with additional dietary or nutritional benefits. Vitamin D milk was developed by Arla, the farmer-owner dairy company, and contains two micrograms of the vitamin per 100ml. A normal serving is 250ml so that’s half of an adult’s recommended daily intake in one glass of milk.

One-fifth of the UK population have low-levels of vitamin D. Public Health England advise that it is needed daily to help keep healthy bones, teeth and muscle and that anyone over the age of 1 needs 10 micrograms of Vitamin D per day. For most people, the bulk of their Vitamin D comes from exposure to sunlight, but due to longer nights and darker days, levels of the vitamin can significantly reduce during the winter months.

Lise Larsen, Nutrition Specialist at Arla Foods UK, said: “This new, vitamin D enriched milk, provides an excellent dietary supplement all year round, but particularly at a time of when vitamin D levels are at their lowest across the UK population. We’ve found with other products – like Arla Protein – that consumers welcome the opportunity to supplement their diet through tasty dairy products.”

Richard Dent, Senior Director for Chilled at Asda said: “Asda and Arla collaborated to develop the Vitamin D milk to offer customers an easy and accessible solution to help combat Vitamin D deficiency, particularly at a time when intake is at a seasonal low. It allows our customers the freedom to make convenient health choices while doing their weekly shop.”

Asda’s Vitamin D milk is semi-skimmed and available in a 2 liter bottle, it is on sale in stores nationwide and online, RRP £1.25 ($1.50). It is bottled at Arla’s state of the art processing site in Aylesbury.