A woman’s complaint about the impact that the rising price of milk has had on her weekly purchase of 12 gallons has sparked a viral meme.

On Thursday, CNN spoke with a couple in Texas about the increasing costs of groceries during a segment dedicated to inflation and the effect it has on those who are middle class.

While speaking with the outlet, the Stotlers, who purchase groceries each week for themselves, their eight children and their foster child, raised the topic of milk prices, with Ms Stotler noting: “A gallon of milk was $1.99. Now it’s $2.79. When you buy 12 gallons a week times four weeks, that’s a lot of money.”

Although the milk consumption is more reasonable considering it is for a family of 11, people have been expressing their shock over the amount purchased each week by the Stotlers since the clip was shared to Twitter, where it has been viewed more than 2.2m times.

Ms Stotler’s comment has since sparked the creation of various memes on social media, with hundreds of people taking the opportunity to find humour in the idea of a family drinking 48 gallons of milk each month.

“If you’re buying ~50 gallons of milk a month, maybe it’s best to just invest in a cow????” one person tweeted.

Another said: “Wages are stagnant and inflation is very bad but I have questions about this level of milk consumption.”

“Very typical to buy 48 gallons of milk every month,” someone else joked.

Others have questioned the milk prices referenced in the segment, with some claiming that the cost of a gallon of milk has not been as low as $1.99 in years.

“It’s true! A gallon of milk was $1.99, back in the 1900s,” one person wrote, while someone else tweeted: “Milk hasn’t been under $2 for 30 years. Also, TWELVE GALLONS a week???”

While the large weekly milk purchase has prompted amusement, other social media users have defended the family from the attention directed at their milk consumption.

“To all the f***ing a**holes questioning who drinks all that milk, go f*** yourselves. Seriously. This is a family of 11 (nine children with a 10th staying with them, seven adopted). You could only wish to have that level of kindness in your hearts to take in so many and give them love,” another person tweeted.

According to a recent retail milk prices report released by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the average US price of a gallon of whole milk was $3.69 in October.

In Dallas, Texas, the cost of a gallon of whole milk in January 2021 was $2.86, while the cost in October had increased to $3.29.

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