Paul McCartney has urged Starbucks to stop charging extra for plant-based milk.
The former Beatles musician has been vegetarian since 1975 and founded the Meat Free Mondays campaign in 2009 alongside his daughters, Mary and Stella. He’s also worked with PETA on various projects throughout his career.
As Billboard reports, McCartney has now written a letter to Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson ahead of his upcoming show in Seattle, Washington – where the global coffee company is based.
The singer-songwriter is calling on Johnson to end the surcharge on Starbucks’ plant-based milk options before he retires from the company on Monday (April 4).
“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 began.
“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 continued: “My friends at PETA are campaigning for this. I sincerely hope that for the future of the planet and animal welfare you are able to implement this policy.”
According to PETA, the production of cow’s milk generates approximately three times more greenhouse-gas emissions and uses nine times more land than vegan alternatives do.
“It takes 628 litres of water to make 1 litre of cow’s milk—oat or soy milk requires 90% less water,” the organisation wrote in an article earlier this month.
PETA has also accused Starbucks of being “all talk and no action” after Johnson previously claimed that the company wanted to “give more than we take from the planet”. Johnson made the comments in a 2020 message that outlined Starbucks’ “new sustainability commitment”.
Back in November 2021, McCartney called on leaders at COP26 to acknowledge the impact of animal agriculture on climate change, and to adopt the Plant Based Treaty as a companion to the Paris Agreement.
Paul McCartney is due to begin the North American leg of his ‘Got Back’ tour on April 28. You can find any remaining tickets here.
The star will return to the UK to headline Glastonbury 2022 in June alongside Billie Eilish and Kendrick Lamar.
During a recent interview, McCartney teased that he and his band are “definitely planning on having a few tricks up our sleeve[s]” for the forthcoming Worthy Farm show.