Couple invent ‘milk lock’ to deter would-be thieves from communal fridges

Matthew Lobley and his wife, Amy, have spent the last two years developing Udderlok, which is intended to save people a common daily irritation.

Speaking to The Yorkshire Post, Mr Lobley said: “I’ve been working in offices for 20 years and it’s always been a big bugbear of mine. Every time I put milk in the communal fridge it would disappear throughout the day.”

Mr Lobley, who lives in Leeds, said the solution came to him in a ‘hallucinogenic flu moment’.

The lock and key design is similar to the principle of a child’s shape sorting toy. The plastic cap has shapes, such as a triangles, on the top which only a certain ‘key’ can unlock.

The couple worked with Sheffield-based 3D Folkes to make prototypes over a 12 month period before finally getting to the point where they could set up injection-moulding manufacturing with Maclan Plastics in Keighley.

They have invested £20,000 of savings into the business so far and have just produced their first batch of 300, using one key shape. They are about to start producing a further two key shapes.

The products are sold on their own website plus ebay, Etsy and Amazon.

Although the product was launched during lockdown when two of its biggest markets - offices and student accommodation - had disappeared, Mr Lobley insisted there was still a need for it.

“There are people housesharing and there’s always a risk of milk being taken when someone runs out and doesn’t want to go to the shop,” he said.

Looking ahead, the couple have other product ideas in the pipeline, such as locks for coffee jars and lunch boxes, plus reusable bottles. “It doesn’t matter where you work,” Mr Lobley said. “There’s always someone trying to take your stuff.”