On Friday 25 April we visited Starbucks UK’s London headquarters in Chiswick business park to demand change from the global coffee giant. We delivered our petition calling for oat milk to be made the default milk option nationwide. We also followed up on our repeated meeting requests by asking a company representative to speak with us in person.

11,260 people want Starbucks UK to Make Oat Milk the Default

Despite our attempts to engage Starbucks in dialogue about our petition ahead of the event, we received no response. During the petition hand in, we once again formally requested a meeting with senior management and used our giant ‘11,000’ sign to highlight the growing demand for change. Unfortunately, we were met only by reception staff, who made it clear that no representative from Starbucks would speak with us. They also declined to share any contact information, though they did agree to pass our petition box on to the appropriate team, where it presumably remains, somewhere inside their offices!

Animal Justice Project volunteers joined the action, engaging passersby in conversations about the realities of dairy farming. These interactions sparked a number of encouraging discussions about making ethical choices. The event also attracted media attention, with coverage from Larder Magazine and London Post. Digital news outlet, Vegan FTA, also helped amplify our campaign online.

Let’s keep the pressure on!

We launched our petition earlier this year following an undercover investigation at Lowfields Farm, a major dairy supplier contracted by Arla Foods. The footage, featured in over 25 news outlets including Daily Mail, BBC News, and The Mirror, revealed disturbing scenes of animal abuse, prompting widespread national condemnation. In light of these revelations, we called on Starbucks to take action, as they currently use Arla milk as their default option.

Starbucks commented on our investigative findings at the time, clearly not recognising the systemic nature of abuse in the dairy industry. They said:

“Please be assured that when it comes to the food and dairy we serve, social responsibility standards and animal welfare are a primary focus for Starbucks. We are grateful to you for raising the concerns outlined in your investigation.”

Our demonstration at Starbucks HQ also followed the release of our YouGov survey, which revealed that nearly one-third of Brits would choose oat milk if it were the default option in coffee shops. This number is likely to grow as more people become aware of the Arlarming realities of the dairy industry.

What’s next?

We’re not backing down. This is just the beginning. We will continue to call on Starbucks UK to demonstrate leadership by making oat milk the default — a simple, powerful step toward a kinder and more sustainable future. 

Stay tuned as there are a number of upcoming actions you can get involved in. And, if you haven’t already, it’s not too late to sign our petition. 

As always, 

For the animals!

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