Amul busts PETA's 'myths' about plant-based 'milk'; issues public interest advert

India’s dairy giant Amul issued a public interest advertisement on Tuesday, busting myths about plant-based beverages in a bid to tell off non-profit entities that are suggesting alternatives to milk over charges of animal cruelty in the dairy industry. Highlighting the cultural and spiritual significance of dairy in India, the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, which oversees Amul, published an advertisement to present “facts” against “myths” about plant-based products.

In the ad, Amul said milk has been an integral part of Indian lives since the Harappan civilisation from 4,500 years ago. It noted that the Hindu deity, Lord Krishna, the caretaker of the holy cow, was a well-known “milkman of India.”

Cows are worshipped in India, so farmers can’t treat bovines with cruelty to yield milk for human consumption, the ad pointed out. It also noted that milk is a completely natural superfood, and vegetarian, while plant-based beverages contain additives like stabilisers and thickening agents, and also cost six times more.

Amul vs PETA

The move comes nearly a month after the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) asked Amul to switch to producing vegan milk, drawing a sharp response from the dairy giant. The non-profit organisation asked Amul to benefit from the booming vegan food and milk market.  The animal body told Amul in a letter, “If you can’t beat them, join them”, pointing to the rising interest in “vegan milk”. 

Hitting back, Amul vice-chairman Valamji Humbal urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ban PETA India and accused it of ruining people's livelihood. He also slashed rumours of animal cruelty and said that people in India raise milch animals as family members. Maintaining that PETA's demand is a part of the misinformation campaign, Humbal added that it is an attempt to break the Indian dairy industry, saving the country from importing milk and milk products.

On the other hand, PETA India's CEO Dr Manilal Valliyate said Amul has shown itself to be a bully, unable to appreciate the public’s concern for animals and a business that apparently cannot change despite changing consumer trends. “But no amount of bullying is going to change the fact that vegan eating is taking the world by storm,” he asserted.