Emerson Phillips
Two protesters are facing felony charges of theft and destruction of property after the animal-rights’ activists from PETA glued themselves to a Starbucks counter in Seattle to fight the surcharge for vegan milk.
In honor of Earth Day, Seattle TV Fox 13 reports that the activists hijacked the coffee franchise with T-shirts that read: “Not Your Mom, Not Your Milk.”
In December of last year, Starbucks dropped the extra fee for plant-based milk in the UK.
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At that time Starbucks UK issued a statement: “Alongside the arrival of the new Oat platform, 2022 also sees Starbucks announce that from 5 January, it will no longer charge extra for any of its five dairy alternatives in any of its 1,020 UK stores.”
However, PETA wants the same policy extended to US stores as American customers still have to pay 70 cents more for almond, soy, coconut and oat milk.
PETA even called out Starbuck’s former CEO Kevin Johnson, who received a $60 million payout, that they said could have covered the 70 cent charge on vegan milk for more than 85 million drinks.
Johnson did not comment.
Also last year, PETA Honorary Director Alan Cumming wrote an open letter to the former Starbucks CEO urging his company to reduce its carbon footprint.
“[I]t’s been over a year since your company acknowledged that cow’s milk is its biggest source of carbon dioxide emissions, yet you are still charging more for vegan milk,” Cumming wrote. “I’m urging you to put your words into action by dropping the surcharge on it.”
News Nation reports that even Sir Paul McCartney is getting in on the act.
“My friends at PETA are campaigning for this,” McCartney wrote in a letter to Starbucks. “I must say this surprised me as I understand that in other countries like U.K. and India, there is the same charge for both types of milk and I would like to politely request that you consider this policy also in Starbucks USA. I sincerely hope that for the future of the planet and animal welfare you are able to implement this policy.”
