Plant-based advocacy group ProVeg International is urging Starbucks to drop its surcharge on plant-based milks if it is serious about achieving its new climate targets.
The charity’s call comes after Starbucks this week announced ambitious new goals for reducing its environmental impact. By 2030, the coffee chain is targeting 50 per cent reductions in carbon emissions, water withdrawal and waste sent to landfill.
OProVeg says dairy products are the biggest source of carbon dioxide emissions across Starbucks’ operations and supply chain, according to its new sustainability assessment. Although soy milk alternative is offered free in the UK, if customers choose other plant-based milks such as oat, almond or coconut instead of cow’s milk, they are subject to an additional charge, prompting ProVeg to call for Starbucks’ pricing to reflect its climate ambitions.
Philip Mansbridge, executive director of ProVeg UK, said: “Now we know that dairy products are Starbucks’ primary climate culprit, we encourage the chain to follow in the footsteps of its competitors Costa and Pret a Manger and drop the surcharge on plant-based milks. The same goes for other major coffee chains still charging extra for sustainable alternatives to cow’s milk.
“We were delighted to hear Starbucks’ ambitious environmental targets, which we’re sure can be achieved if plant-based milk is placed at the heart of the solution. Instead of charging customers for being climate-conscious, let’s incentivise them, starting by making the more sustainable alternative – plant milks – free of charge.”
Image: Starbucks oat milk promotion, via Twitter