Religious Leaders Demand Starbucks Not Charge Them “Tax” For Being Vegan

A group of Christian, Hindu, Buddhist and Jewish leaders have called on the Starbucks chain to stop charging more for drinks that use vegan substances, saying the practice amounts to taxing people who have sought alternatives to cow’s milk and who have adopted lifestyles based on animal welfare.

Starbucks locations in the United States typically charge an additional 50 cents for drinks made with plant-based “milks.”

In a statement on Friday, an interfaith coalition led by Nevada-based Hindu activist Rajan Zed pressured the coffee chain to stop bringing additional charges, calling them “unethical.” and unjust”.

“A coffee company should not be in the business of taxing individuals who have chosen a plant-based lifestyle,” said the Zen statement, which was also signed by Episcopalian pastor Thomas W. Blake, the pastor Greek Orthodox Stephen R. Karcher, Buddhist priest. Matthew Fisher and Jewish Rabbi ElizaBeth Webb Beyer.

Religious leaders cited several reasons why some Starbucks customers prefer dairy alternatives, including dietary restrictions, ethical issues, environmental concerns, lactose intolerance, dairy allergies and animal welfare concerns. .

Those who want plant-based milk shouldn’t pay more, they said. They asked the company’s Seattle-based CEO, Howard Schultz, and board chair, Mellody Hobson, to immediately stop the additional charge.

Starbucks doesn’t charge for many non-cow’s “milks,” including soy, coconut, almond, and oatmeal, though it does charge extra for custom drinks made largely with these substitutes. , a Starbucks spokeswoman told The Associated Press. .

This isn’t the first time Starbucks’ supplement has outraged consumers. On Thursday, activist and actor James Cromwell used glue on his hand to stick it to the counter of a Starbucks franchise in New York to protest the practice. Cromwell, 81, then used a knife to peel it off. Police said no arrests had been made.

Source: Publimetro