Starbucks UK: Make Oat Milk the Default!

Starbucks took a welcome step forward in 2022 by eliminating the surcharge on plant-based milk in the UK. Now, it's time to take the next one: making oat milk the default option in all stores nationwide.

Will you join us in asking Starbucks to make oat milk the norm in the UK?

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Send our email and urge Starbucks UK to make oat milk their default!

Brian

Nicol

Starbucks

Alex

Raynor

Starbucks

Jaqui

Wetherly

Starbucks

Dear Starbucks Leadership Team

We don't need to tell you the future is plant-based. You already know this. It's why you removed plant-based milk surcharges, and it's why you’ve created Shanghai's 'store of the future', where oat milk is the default and 50% of the menu is plant-based [1]. Actions like these have positioned you as a forward-thinking leader in the industry, aligning your brand with the evolving values of your customers and the global shift towards sustainability.

Yet, despite these positive steps in the right direction, there remains a crucial step that Starbucks has yet to take here in the UK. In 2025, your default milk option still isn't plant-based. Loyal customers and new patrons oxalike expect more from a global brand like Starbucks. Making oat milk Starbucks' default in your 1,200 UK stores, and across your Greener Store Framework, should be your top priority. Here’s why:

Environmental Concerns: Switching to oat milk would drastically reduce Starbucks' environmental footprint, aligning with your goals to halve carbon and water usage. Cows’ milk is the largest contributor to your emissions, representing 22% of the total. Research from the University of Oxford shows that oat milk has significantly lower environmental impact than cows’ milk, requiring less land, water, and producing fewer emissions [2].

Animals Deserve Better: Starbucks UK is exclusively supplied by Arla, the largest cows’ milk co-operative in the UK. Recent investigations, like Animal Justice Project’s exposé at Lowfields Farm, highlight systemic issues within the industry, including widespread suffering and horrific beatings of cows and calves. By making oat milk the default, Starbucks has the power to end this cruelty and reinforce the UK's reputation as a nation that truly cares for all animals.

Public Opinion and Market Trends: Data from Animal Justice Project’s latest YouGov survey reveals significant gaps in public awareness about industry practices, with only 18% believing dairy companies provide sufficient production transparency. Encouragingly, one third of Brits are already willing to accept oat milk as the default [3]. Further, the Vegan Society highlights a growing trend in plant-based diets, especially among Gen Z, who overwhelmingly choose plant-based milks [4]. It’s also good for businesses who have made the change. Establishments like Blue Bottle Coffee Lab have seen a 21% sales boost after shifting to plant-based milks as the default.

Supporting British Farmers: Research shows that farmers who farm animals are more likely to suffer from poor mental health, due to the emotional and moral toll. Starbucks can continue supporting British farmers by encouraging them to meet the growing consumer demand and start producing oat milk.

Starbucks has the opportunity to meet its own environmental goals, stay ahead of the curve and inspire other businesses to make more sustainable and ethical choices. We urge you to make the right decision and take the necessary step of making oat milk the default, and in turn lead the way toward a kinder, greener and healthier future for all.

Yours Sincerely,

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