Thousands of milk crates disappear from Arla‘s circulation every year in Denmark. Therefore, Arla is now encouraging the country’s institutions to find and return the boxes, with the chance to win a farm visit as extra motivation, where the children get up close to life on a modern farm.

The initiative is part of Arla’s milk crate collection, which runs throughout 2026. For every milk crate that is returned, DKK 5 goes to the Arla Foundation, which works for children and young people’s food education. “We know that many of our milk crates have over time found new homes in playgrounds and tool rooms. Now we hope that the institutions will help us get them back so that they can be used for what they are made for – namely the transport of milk,” says Henrik Lilballe Hansen, country director for Arla Denmark.

Every year, Arla produces up to 270,000 new milk crates to replace the crates that disappear from the cycle. This causes an unnecessary climate impact, as the boxes are designed to be reused again and again over many years.

Arla makes it easy to participate. The institutions can either send the milk crates back with their wholesale delivery, drop them off at a local grocery store or have an employee or parent drop them off at the recycling centre. Once the boxes have been handed in, the institution can register the number on Arla’s website. This must be done no later than 13 September 2026. Once this is done, the institution will be entered into the competition for a farm visit to an Arla farm. “We hope that the institutions will see it as a fun joint task here after the summer holidays. The more boxes we get home, the fewer new ones we have to produce. This is good for both the climate and the safety of the institutions,” says Lilballe Hansen.