Paul McCartney Calls On Starbucks CEO To End Vegan Milk Surcharge In The US - Plant Based News

Paul McCartney Calls On Starbucks CEO To End Vegan Milk Surcharge In The US

McCartney, who launched the Meat Free Monday campaign, has called for Starbucks to update its policy

By

2 Minutes Read

Vegetarian musician Paul McCartney Paul McCartney urged Starbucks US to think twice about its vegan dairy surcharge. - Media Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Your ad here?

Advertisement

Sir Paul McCartney, who has been vegetarian since the ’70s, has called on Starbucks to drop its vegan milk surcharge.

The 79-year-old Beatles star teamed up with PETA – which claims to be the largest animal rights charity in the world – to pen a letter to Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson.

In the letter, McCartney asked Johnson to consider the “future of the planet” as well as the welfare of animals by removing the 70-cent upcharge on dairy-free milk.

“It recently came to my attention that Starbucks in the USA has an extra charge for plant-based milks as opposed to cow’s milk,” McCartney wrote to Johnson.

“I must say this surprised me as I understand that in other countries like UK 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,” he added.

“My friends at PETA are campaigning for this to happen and I have agreed to support them …. I sincerely hope that for the future of the planet and animal welfare you are able to implement this policy.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CZHPFHCs7Vw/

Starbucks’s controversial vegan upcharge

The dairy-free upcharge policy has come under fire in the past, with Starbucks being accused of profiting off dietary racism.

In December, a campaign saw non-profit Switch4Good masquerading as Starbucks, releasing fake statements from the coffee chain which promised to drop the surcharge.

In a spoof press release and video, Switch4Good (posing as Starbucks) recognized that the 70-cent surcharge predominantly affects Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities. 

This is because of the high prevalence of lactose intolerance in these communities. According to Switch4Good, 95 percent of Asians, up to 80 percent of Black and Latinx people, and more than 80 percent of Indigenous Americans cannot digest dairy.

Dr. Milton Mills, an urgent care physician in Washington DC, said the “unfair and racially targeted” upcharge was a prime example of systemic racism.

Less than three weeks later, (the real) Starbucks announced it would stop charging extra for dairy alternatives at all of its 1,020 UK stores. The chain did not comment on whether the spoof campaign played a part in its decision.

Your ad here?

Advertisement

Support Plant Based News in our mission to plant 1 million trees by 2030. 🌳

Your donation supports our mission to bring you vital, up-to-the-minute plant-based news and research and contributes to our goal of planting 1 million trees by 2030. Every contribution combats deforestation and promotes a sustainable future. Together, we can make a difference – for our planet, health, and future generations.

© 2021 Plant Based News is a UK-based digital media outlet publishing content about veganism and plant-based living, including news and current events, health, personal transformation stories, features, and recipes. | Plant Based News Ltd, PO Box 71173, London, SE20 9DQ, United Kingdom.

buttons/scroll-to-top/scroll-to-top-small-active