Gail’s drops soya milk surcharge after pressure from PETA campaign

Gail’s Bakery will eliminate the surcharge on soya milk from 21 May 2025, following mounting public pressure and a national campaign by animal rights group PETA.

The fast-growing UK chain, which charges up to 60p for oat and soya milk, has confirmed it will drop the fee for soya, but continue charging extra for oat milk in coffee and tea.

A spokesperson for Gail’s explained the decision reflects the company’s focus on sustainability and customer choice:

We understand choice is important, which is why we’re proud to offer British-grown oat milk and soya as dairy alternatives. From May 21, there will be no additional charge for soya milk in our bakeries. We want to make it easier for everyone to enjoy their coffee or tea the way they like it, while remaining dedicated to sourcing high-quality ingredients that are both delicious and sustainable.”

This change comes after PETA planned protests, a high-profile social media campaign, and more than 12,000 letters from supporters urging Gail’s to drop what they called a “punitive” plant milk price.

PETA Vice President of Vegan Corporate Projects, Dawn Carr, welcomed the move, stating:

Charging more for plant milk leaves a bad taste in customers’ mouths, particularly when it is a choice they make for their health, to be kind to cows, or for the planet. PETA celebrates Gail’s taking the first step in offering soya without the surcharge, but to spare cows from harm and reduce methane emissions, the oat-milk upcharge also has to be ground down.”

The announcement comes as the demand for plant-based milks surges. With one in three Britons now regularly choosing non-dairy alternatives, traditional dairy consumption has seen a steady decline, dropping nearly 50 percent in the UK over the past five decades.

Similar changes in chains nationally and across the pond

Gail’s joins a growing number of coffee chains making similar changes. Caffè Nero, Costa Coffee and Starbucks already offer at least one dairy-free option without an added fee. Pret A Manger and Patisserie Valerie have also embraced the shift toward more inclusive pricing on vegan milk.

Across the Atlantic, the movement is gaining similar momentum. The five largest US coffee chains — Dunkin’, Starbucks, Tim Hortons, Dutch Bros, and Scooter’s Coffee — now all provide dairy-free milk options without additional cost.

Even celebrity voices have entered the fray. Just last month, music legend Sir Paul McCartney wrote to US chain Peet’s Coffee urging them to eliminate their plant milk surcharge. The company quickly responded, removing the fee shortly after.

McCartney wrote:

It recently came to my attention that Peet’s has an extra charge for plant-based milks as opposed to cow’s milk. I must say this surprised me, as I understand that your company is committed to reducing methane emissions and water waste, yet cow’s milk significantly contributes to them.”

With major names on both sides of the Atlantic dropping the plant milk premium, the pressure is on for the rest of the industry to follow suit.