Starbucks plans to stop serving all dairy milk by 2030 to fight climate change

Question

 I saw it in a Guardian article titled “Starbucks to phase out dairy to meet climate goals,” and it’s also being shared a lot on social media, with some people saying Starbucks is “banning milk.” I’m not sure if this is actually true or if it’s just a rumor based on the company’s goal to offer more plant-based options. I’d like to fact-check whether Starbucks really announced a full removal of dairy products by 2030 or if people are misinterpreting their sustainability plans.

Answer 1

This claim is not true. Though Starbucks states they want to be sustainable with their Dairy program, they stated that they will be working with dairy programs. “providing leadership and direction to help shape a new dairy supply chain where there is a shared responsibility from farm to customer for the environmental impact of dairy” (Starbucks). They also state they want to continue to drive sustainable Dairy programs with also joining the dairy methane action Alliance. Though Starbucks states, “Starbucks launched its Sustainable Dairy Program in the United States, designed to advance environmental stewardship, help enhance farmer and workforce conditions, and help ensure the quality care of animals” By all this stated,  it looks like Starbucks is not discontinuing dairy milk, but trying to lessen carbon emissions into our atmosphere to help save our planet.

Answer 2

This statement is false. Starbucks has never claimed they would remove dairy products by 2030. Instead, they want to focus on producing high quality milk by using responsible practices. They show their support by funding different dairy farms to ensure a sustainable future for dairy and for less carbon emissions. Starbucks has options for plant-based milk such as almond, soy, and oat. Taking dairy out of their supply could lead to a lack of customers since the company has been around and popular for so long.

https://about.starbucks.com/stories/2023/starbucks-furthers-commitment-to-sustainable-dairy/

Answer 3

I think this claim is partly true, from what I researched, but not fully accurate. Starbucks is making moves around dairy because dairy has a large climate and water footprint in its supply chain, but it will not stop serving all dairy milk by 2030. Dairy production involves higher greenhouse gas emissions and more water usage compared to plant-based milks, but dairy is a core ingredient in many Starbucks drinks, so getting rid of it could change the menu's recipes. The social media claim that Starbucks will stop serving all dairy milk by 2030 is not correct and is a myth, and Starbucks plans to reduce the milk use but not get rid of it fully.

Souces:

https://athome.starbucks.com/learn/starbucks-commits-resource-positive-future?utm_source=chatgpt.com

https://greenamerica.org/victory/starbucks-offer-more-plant-based-milks?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Answer 4

This claim is false.I could not find any source leading to Starbucks cutting out dairy as a whole.The official Starbucks website states that they will no longer charge customers for using non-dairy milk as of November 7th, 2024. Although this could maybe show that they are supporting dairy-substitutes for their drinks, there is no sign that they plan to stop using dairy-milk as a whole.

https://about.starbucks.com/stories/2024/non-dairy-no-extra-charge/

Answer 5

This claim is very false. Starbucks is not planning on phasing out dairy to meet climate goals, and Starbucks isn't banning milk anytime soon. In a Fortune article, Starbucks executives explained that their actual focus is on becoming more resource positive by storing more carbon than they emit, cutting down on waste, and providing more fresh water than they use/produce. Starbucks also talked about investing in renewable energy, which shows their goals are about sustainability overall, not removing dairy from the menu.

With so many milk alternatives available today, some people assume Starbucks will eventually drop dairy, but that isn’t what the company has said. A LiveKindly article pointed out that the World Wildlife Fund found a single dairy cow produces around 17 gallons of manure and urine every day, which releases greenhouse gases, pollutes water and air, and harms wildlife habitats. On top of that, it takes about 144 gallons of water to produce just one gallon of milk in the U.S., with more than 93% of that water going toward growing food for the cows. Each cow also eats close to 100 pounds of food daily, which adds to the environmental impact. Even with those numbers, Starbucks has not announced any plan to eliminate dairy.

Sources: https://www.livekindly.com/starbucks-phase-out-dairy-climate-change/ 

https://fortune.com/2020/01/21/starbucks-carbon-footprint-dairy/