Starbucks Germany has announced that they will no longer levy an additional charge for customers wanting to replace animal-milk with plant-based milk in their drinks.
“Change is in the air—after years of pressure from PETA and PETA Germany supporters, Starbucks Germany is ending its vegan milk surcharge!”, PETA announced in a post on their website. “Compassionate coffee lovers across Germany can now enjoy a Starbucks drink that’s better for animals, the environment, and their own health without being charged extra for oat, almond, soy, or coconut milk.”
In 2022, Starbucks France and Starbucks U.K. also dropped the surcharge, and other stories in China, India, and elsewhere offer dairy-free options at no additional cost.
PETA notes that “Even though Starbucks agrees that vegan milks are better for the planet—and has even admitted that dairy is the biggest contributor to its carbon footprint—it still charges up to 80 cents more to use vegan milk instead of cow’s milk at its U.S. stores and other locations around the world.”
PETA believes that “Customers shouldn’t be punished for making a compassionate choice, and if you’re lactose intolerant (as many folks are, especially people of color), you have to skip dairy to avoid getting sick.”
