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Starbucks has finally removed the additional charge for customers who request vegan milk alternatives for their beverages. The coffee chain said that it would stop the upcharge at all of its 1,020 outlets in the U.K.
Starbucks has been criticized for charging extra for orders with dairy-free milk. A spoof campaign was published earlier this month, and it was meant to call out the Seattle-based coffee chain for imposing extra pay for vegan milk. Someone posted a fake press release saying the company is canceling the upcharge for milk alternatives.
As a result, although the P.R. was fake, it was reported that for the first time, Starbucks U.K. made a promise to cancel the extra charge for plant-based dairies. The announcement came just weeks after that campaign gimmick that mentioned some issues related to the additional charge.
With the announcement, customers can welcome the new year with a big smile as their favorite coffee shop has finally heard their objection to the upcharge, and their wish has been granted.
According to Plant-based News, Starbucks U.K. said that starting Jan. 5, 2022, it will not be collecting extra charges for vegan dairy alternatives anymore. The directive applies to all Starbucks branches in the country.
This means that from next week, customers can request any of the plant-based milk available in the stores, such as oat, coconut, soya, and almond milk, for their drinks at no extra cost. The Starbucks Original Nut Blend is also included in the options with no upcharge.
“Alongside the arrival of the new Oat platform, 2022 also sees Starbucks announce that from 5 January, it will no longer charge extra for any of its five dairy alternatives in any of its 1,020 UK stores,” Starbucks U.K. stated in a press release.
Meanwhile, the coffee chain is also introducing more vegan items in the coming year. One example of a food option is plant-based tuna. For the drinks, Starbucks U.K. is adding the vegan Strawberry & Vanilla Oat Latte and Dark Cocoa & Orange Oat Latte to its beverage menu lineup.
