Actor and prominent animal rights activist James Cromwell taped his hand to the counter of a Starbucks in New York City on Tuesday in protest, saying the company charges more for plant-based milk alternatives.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, posted a live video on social media showing Cromwell, 82, the star of HBO’s “Babe” and “Succession,” expressing his concerns while wearing a “Free the Animals” t-shirt. T-shirt.
Starbucks customers pay more for drinks if they order a plant-based milk alternative, Cromwell said.
“There is no reason for it except greed,” Cromwell told patrons. “Will you stop charging more for vegan milk? When will you stop making huge profits while customers, animals and the environment suffer?”
Cromwell also said that Starbucks is guilty of imposing a “meaningless surcharge” on customers looking for an alternative to milk.
A representative of the coffee giant admitted that non-dairy alternatives to drinks often come at “an additional cost”.
“This is similar to other beverage customizations, such as an espresso or additional syrup, and the price varies from market to market,” according to a company statement.
“However, customers can add a splash of non-dairy milk to Brewed Coffee, Iced Coffee, Cold Brew and Americano beverages at no charge.”
Cromwell, who was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for the first “Babe” movie in 1995 and starred in the 1997 best picture nominee “LA Confidential,” pressed his hand to the Starbucks counter on Broadway between 39th and 40 West. .
He denounced the practice of separating dairy cows from their calves and then drinking the milk that would have fed the newborns.
“Mother cows cry for their calves for days,” said Cromwell, who plays anti-capitalist Uncle Ewan Roy in the critically acclaimed “Succession.”
“These mothers must endure the loss of a child over and over again. They suffer no less than human mothers.”
Cromwell withdrew his hand from the counter about half an hour after the protest began, the video shows. No one was arrested, PETA said.