Animal rights charity Peta has launched a campaign calling for bakery Gail’s to drop its “discriminatory” extra charges on plant-based milk.
It claims the surcharge is unfair for customers who are lactose intolerant or who are opting to drink plant milk for ethical reasons.
The upmarket bakery charges 40p to 60p extra for alternatives to cow's milk such as soya, oat, almond and coconut milk.
One in three Britons now drink plant-based milk and one in 10 UK adults are also lactose intolerant, but many cafes charge extra for milk alternatives.
Peta claimed on its website that Gail’s is “falling behind industry standards” and added that customers should not have to pay more to make “animal-friendly” and “sustainable choices”.
It added that “cow’s milk should be more expensive to accurately reflect the true cost to animals and the planet”.
Peta added that it is concerned the extra cost could deter customers from choosing plant-based milk over cow’s milk and urged the bakery to make the milks the same price.
The charity explained that in the dairy industry, calves are taken from their mothers so that milk can be produced and sold.
It added that the dairy industry contributes to the climate crisis because emissions from farming cows are the primary source of the greenhouse gas methane, which like carbon dioxide, warms the atmosphere.
“GAIL’s is milking customers who care about animals and the planet by offering a discount on re-useable cups but still charging extra for plant milk,” Peta Vice President of Vegan Projects Dawn Carr said.
“Dairy milk is an environmental disaster, cruel to cows, and bad for human health. We’re calling on the company to ditch the upcharge and encourage all conscious coffee drinkers to join PETA’s campaign.”
Pret a Manger stopped charging extra for plant-based milks in the UK in 2020 after calls from animal rights advocates.
Starbucks has also not charged extra for vegan milks since 2022 and there is also no extra cost at Leon and Joe and the Juice for dairy-free alternatives.
At Costa Coffee and Cafe Nero soya milk is free, but oat and coconut milk are an additional 45p at both cafes. There is also an “ultimate blend” plant-based milk alternative at Costa which costs 35p.
Peta has also called for these charges to be dropped.
Gail’s has been contacted for a comment. The bakery has faced backlash for its expansion plans. It first opened in Hampstead, north-west London, in 2005, but since 170 branches have opened across the UK.
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