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Last week, 82-year-old actor James Cromwell (Uncle Ewan on Succession) glued his hand to a Starbucks counter in NYC. That its something Ewans grandson Greg would do by accident on the show is only coincidental: It was the environmentalist Cromwells way of protesting the coffee chains upcharge for plant-based milks.

While most people probably arent concerned about what the human star of Babe: Pig in the City sticks himself to, Cromwells glue-in highlights a reality for vegans and those with dairy allergies: Things tend to cost a lot more.

In January, Starbucks stores in the UK made all dairy alternatives free. But in the US, Starbucks locations typically charge an additional 70 cents for nondairy options. Thinking broadly about the cost of (essentially) blending oats and water versus the cost of raising a cow to maturity, the pricing may seem odd. And its not just Starbucks charging a premium, either.

Across the industry, the retail price of nondairy, plant-based milk is around twice the price of dairy milk, according to Mintec, which analyzes food commodity costs. So whats keeping those oat milk prices high? A few things:

But while those factors may help explain why plant-based milks are expensive, they dont fully spell out why dairy milk is so cheap. That has a lot to do with massive government subsidies that the US dairy industry receives each year. In 2015, Big Milk received $22.2 billion in direct and indirect subsidies. A 2018 Canadian study found that 73% of US dairy producers revenue came from government support.

Zoom out: While around 36% of Americans are lactose intolerant (a condition that predominantly affects people of color), the US is still living in its Got Milk? era. Given that the carbon footprint of cow milk is about 3x that of alternatives like oat milk, environmental advocates like Cromwell are hoping that removing cost burdens will lead to more people giving nondairy options a chance.MK

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'Succession' actor's protest highlights the vegan upcharge - Morning Brew