James Cromwell is a legend! (Plant based milks now free in Starbucks)

[Snorkellingaround]

www.theguardian.com/film/2022/may/11/james-cromwell-starbucks-stunt-celebrity-activism-succession?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

What a man! (It's the actor who played the farmer in Babe). He superglued his hand to a Starbucks counter to protest the extra charge for non-dairy choices and in doing so managed to bring press attention to the issue and change the Starbucks policy.

I've just been in my local Starbucks and there is a new poster up saying that all non dairy choices are now free

What a surprise, another thread taken over by vegan bashers.

Anyway I thought that Starbucks stopped charging for plant milk ages ago?! 🤷🏻‍♀️

@ClumpingBambooIsALie , I took your post to mean that because you can drink milk, but have a negative reaction to the alternatives, it suits you more if a cafe supplies only milk based drinks. I was just saying that for people who can't drink milk, having the alternatives available enables them to have the same options as you. But apologies if I've misread that and you meant something else.

It's true that alternatives are more expensive but given the profit margins on these drinks, I reckon Starbucks can afford to absorb that cost.

And ignored my previous post where I said that separate machines would be better for people with milk allergies too.

The situation as it is now is that milk alternatives were introduced, but from the beginning were useless to milk allergy sufferers because they used the same equipment as for milk. So no help to those with milk allergies, while making things worse for people with soya, oat or nut allergies. An improvement for those with lactose intolerance or a personal preference like veganism, but not anyone with an allergy or other reason to avoid contamination.

I pay more for almost everything I use because of allergies. It’s not for luxury items like lattes either. There is no help or anyone arguing I should have affordable toothpaste or bread.

if the company charges a flat fee, they will simply pass that cost to the consumers. We will then all be subsidizing what for most people is a choice. I’m sympathetic to the people with dairy allergies, but they aren’t who this is targeted towards.

I’m actually allergic to a couple of the plant based alternatives myself, but I suspect if someday they raise the price of dairy based drinks, no one will have any sympathy for the people who can’t switch to non-dairy.

@ClumpingBambooIsALie , I literally said there was a valid argument for separate equipment.
But, whatever - it's not that important whether Starbucks charge for it or not. They'll do whatever is commercially favourable.

And yes, if more people make these non-dairy choices, allergy sufferers are going to be forced out of coffeehouses and restaurants unless they install separate equipment. It’s low-risk at the moment in my area because these aren’t popular options. If that changes, I won’t be able to go there anymore.

As it is, just having my own teen order an iced oat milk latte which just gets poured into the glass and doesn’t touch any equipment had me asking them like 6 times that they made mine with cows milk. She wanted to try it and I think that is great for her to branch out and be independent, but I was so relieved when she thought it was disgustingly sweet and asked for ideas to make it more bitter to make it palatable.

I thought cafés were much more careful now about cross contamination since that poor girl died?
I did notice yesterday when I was in Costa that they seemed to use separate equipment for my alternative milk mocha than for DS standard one. But possibly it varies according to size of branch and available space.

It's evidence based that a vegan diet reduces your carbon footprint and the dairy industry isn't cruelty free or sustainable. Anything that makes dairy free options easier/ more accessible for people who choose not to have dairy or can't have dairy improve things for everyone. Large global companies like Starbucks have a responsibility to reduce the environmental impacts of their business and if more customers are interested in making this choice long term that's less methane and a reduced climate footprint. People don't have to be vegan all the time, more people choosing plant based options mean less dairy consumed long-term.

I agree if they are risking cross contamination for allergy sufferers that's something else Starbucks should take responsibility for. It's wrong for them to wait until they are in court for hurting someone to take allergies seriously. They have enough equipment and money to have eg a nut free milk frothing section.

I think it is great, love an oat milk latte from starbucks

Almond milk is bloody terrible for the planet.

Excellent news. I love oat milk and coconut milk in coffee. Hate cows milk.

It’s the worst of the plant based milks but still much better than dairy milk. See chart: www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-46654042

A Starbucks caramel Frappuccino with oat milk and a double shot of coffee is a thing of beauty!

I wonder whether (for example) cheddar or vegan cheddar is nutritionally worse? I assume both are mostly fat and salt. Dairy cheese prob has more protein (but maybe nut based vegan cheeses are equivalent??) and maybe more bacteria? But I have seen cultured vegan cheeses too, so maybe not?

I would guess too that the plasticky vegan cheeses are nutritionally comparable to the plasticky dairy ones.

@Ponderingwindow Asda took a stand on this I thought, and was charging the same price for
free from staples (bread, flour etc) as the standard versions. There isn’t one near us so I’m not sure if they stopped though.

Total tangent anecdote, but when my daughter was 3, we watched babe together. She announced midway through the film 'I want tam <ham>'. I'm sure my bottom lip wibbling whilst almost shouting 'are you sure?! Do you definitely want ham? Why don't you have some cucumber instead?!' had some deep seated influence on her being a vegetarian at 13 🤣

I have been thinking about switching to plant based milks recently, but as someone who is trying to eat less processed stuff, one look at the ingredients list put me off. Same for all these 'vegan alternatives' out there now, full of crap.

I'm just eating a lot less animal products in general now, i am not going to bother substituting dairy plus it tastes so much better!

What a legend!

@Lynnthesearesexnotgenderpeople I completely get that, I drink black coffee at Starbucks. I think for some people the processed meat/ dairy alternatives make it easier to make that initial switch towards having less meat or dairy. If inexpensive options aren't there far less people might give it a go to have a meat free day or a dairy free coffee. Cooking from scratch every meal and paying more every time when ordering food or drinks is offputting for many. As a society we should be making it easier to have non dairy options.

We should 100% be expecting vigilance about allergen cross contamination as well, the potential health consequences are serious and companies should be responsible and protect their customers.

Superb! I can see Starbucks being the first of the coffee places to go vegan completely. For those saying vegan alternatives are full of additives - those ingredients are perfectly normal, with the added benefit they don’t contain pus, blood, cholesterol, and everything else in non-vegan alternatives. 🤢

Why are some commenters talking as though you can only be allergic to plant milk - when an estimated 10% of the UK population is lactointolerant. They should cater equally, at equal pricing and allergy standards, for cow booby and non-cow booby drinkers alike... (p.s. it isn't compulsory for anyone to drink overpriced crap in Starbucks)

Ahhh another vegan bashing post.

Why would a place as big as Starbucks go completely vegan? Most of their customers still have the dairy options.

Of course they won't. They aren't bloody stupid.

I don't want non dairy "milk" in the same way you don't want dairy.