Vegan campaigners say nurseries not offering plant-based milks are ‘indirectly discriminating’ against children

'Vegan children are unfairly treated'

(Getty Images)

The Vegan Society has said nurseries that do not offer plant-based alternatives to cows’ milk are “indirectly discriminating against” vegan children.

On Tuesday, campaigners wrote a formal letter to the Department of Health calling for fortified vegan milks, such as oat and soya, to be introduced to its Nursery Milk Scheme, which offers free cow’s milk to children under the age of five in nurseries.

The scheme has been in place since the 1940s and has been criticised by vegan parents who feel aggrieved that they have to pay for alternative milks for their children should they not wish to give them dairy.

“My son’s school has milk delivered, and he was not given any milk alternative, all the other under fives got free milk, and he did not,” wrote one parent in a comment that has been posted on The Vegan Society’s website.

“I had to send in plant milk for him to have at my own expense which is ridiculous when all the other kids got free cow’s milk every day.”

Parents whose children are allergic to dairy are also in support of the Vegan Society’s proposals.

“My daughter has a milk allergy and I have to provide her with a carton of oat milk to have while the others have cows milk,” wrote one parent. “Would be fab If something was available to her, I’m quite happy buying it but I feel for very low income families that might be harder [sic].”

Mark Banahan, campaigns manager at The Vegan Society, said that vegan children are “unfairly treated” because “they do not benefit from the current school health initiatives, which are designed to increase calcium intake for growing children”.

“They often miss out or have to rely on parents to provide their own plant milk, something that is not always possible for low-income families and causes a great deal of inconvenience to families who should be entitled to free milk alternatives,” he added.

“It’s time the government Play Fair with Plant Milk and support it in nutritional public health initiatives for children.”

Jeanette Rowley, the Vegan Society’s legal advisor, added: “Law regulating the provision of milk for young children is in urgent need of reform to recognise current scientific evidence on nutrition and a growing consumer trend away from dairy products.

“Public authorities are under a general duty under the Equality Act 2010 to avoid discrimination; by limiting the Nursery Milk Scheme only to cow’s milk, the Department of Health are failing in that duty.

“We are urging the government to include fortified plant milk in its milk schemes nationwide, to ensure vegan children are catered for with a nutritionally adequate and delicious milk alternative.”

The Vegan Society has given the Department of Health 14 days to respond to its request, after which time it states it “will be considering legal options”.