PETA activists glue hands to Starbucks counter because vegan milk costs too much

People or the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) went to great lengths to let Starbucks know that their vegan milk costs too much - by gluing their hands to the counter.

On Wednesday (20 April), the activists took to PETA’s official Twitter to share the message and a link to a recorded Facebook Live they streamed.

“We’re not going anywhere, @Starbucks! Literally, we’re superglued to your counter,” they captioned one tweet showing pictures of the activists wearing shirts that read “Not Your Mom, Not Your Milk and “End Vegan Milk Upcharge” as well as a superglued hand.

“We’re demanding that @Starbucks end the vegan milk upcharge because it’s better for humans, other animals, and the Earth!” the animal rights organisation wrote in another tweet.

Within their recorded live stream, they captioned their post to indicate that they were “LIVE from Starbucks HQ” and wanted to get the attention of the coffee chain’s “CEO Howard Schultz” and “demand they drop the ridiculous upcharge for vegan milk.”

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"Save the planet, save the cows, stop the vegan upcharge now!" the activists can be heard chanting in the video.

"This week, ahead of Earth Day, Starbucks is failing customers and failing the climate," one activist said.

"We're heading into a climate catastrophe and Starbucks is still charging up to 80 extra cents for people to get the vegan milk option - the sustainable option. It's time for Starbucks to end the vegan upcharge now," she continued.

A Starbucks spokesperson told the outlet that the chain wasn't going to change the vegan milk surcharge in the US, as the price fluctuates between markets but generally incurs at least a $0.70 upcharge.

Customers in the US still have to pay an extra fee if they want these kinds of milk, although if they add a splash to iced coffee, Cold Brew, Americano, or a brewed coffee, they can get it for free.

Many activists, including PETA, continued to note the environmental and ethical implications of the dairy industry.

Earlier that month, Switch4Good and The Yes Men sent a faux press release to reporters claiming that the chain was putting an end to the surcharge to fight "dietary racism." That was in recognition to the fact that lactose intolerance disproportionately affects Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities.

PETA has had other interesting and grotesque displays to spread its messages of animal rights.

Recently, the organisation spoke out against eating meat by disturbingly barbecuing a "baby" doll in a publicity stunt.

They staged a display at Surfers Paradise, Queensland, as a protester dressed as a chef stood next to a sign that read "Babies Don't Belong on the BBQ – Leave Lambs Alone."

The doll was laid on a BBQ next to vegetables, with the uncomfortable image becoming one of the strongest demonstrations organised by them as of late.

Indy100 reached out to Starbucks for comment via email.

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