Flora and my latest ethical dilemma

I spotted this ad on the tube the other day. It stopped me short. If you’ve been following the food debate recently you’ll now know that fat is no longer the enemy. Come on keep up! Butter now trumps margarine in the health stakes – in moderation of course! No longer can margarine claim the ‘healthy-heart’ positioning it’s enjoyed since the 80s. So where does it go next? This poster seems to present a strategy of sorts but it also poses a bit of an ethical dilemma.

Like many people I care both about my own-wellbeing and the environment. Is margarine really more environmentally-friendly than butter? Where’s the proof and how robust is it?  Sensing the way the food/health debate is going, is this a brand clutching at the straws of environmentalism?

But quite frankly, I don’t want my choice of spread to present me with a dilemma. Don’t make me choose between my own selfish wellbeing and the more altruistic choice that is the environment.  By doing so, you might just make me feel a bit worse about your brand!

Having said that, mine is only one interpretation.  There’s a lot of messaging going on in this seeming simple poster blog link. It’s all quite confusing if you haven’t been keeping abreast of the fat is good debate, know that much about vegan principles (the ad chucks in a Vegan symbol for good measure) or don’t have a handle on the environmental impact of dairy farming. Add in the dairy-free, saturated fats and “powered by plants’ messaging and it’s all a bit overwhelming!