Starbucks Faces Legal Heat Over Alleged Deceptive Claims on “100% Ethical Coffee Sourcing”
In a recent legal action filed in Washington D.C. by the National Consumers League, Starbucks faces allegations of engaging in false advertising regarding its commitment to 100% ethical coffee sourcing. While the coffee giant has claimed for years that its coffee beans are ethically sourced, the new lawsuit contends that such assertions are deceptive.
According to NBC News, the National Consumers League asserts that Starbucks’ advertising that its coffee and tea products are 100% ethically sourced is not accurate. The group accuses the company of collaborating with suppliers involved in documented, severe human rights and labor abuses.
Sally Greenberg, CEO of the National Consumers League, remarked, “On every bag of coffee and box of K-cups that Starbucks sells, Starbucks is heralding its commitment to 100% ethical sourcing. But it’s pretty clear that there are significant human rights and labor abuses across Starbucks’ supply chain.”
The lawsuit claims that Starbucks sourced coffee and tea from farms in Guatemala, Kenya, and Brazil despite reports of human rights and labor abuses at those locations.
In response to the allegations, Starbucks provided a statement to NBC News, expressing the company’s serious consideration of the claims. The statement outlined the scrutiny that their suppliers undergo and reaffirmed their commitment to collaborating with business partners to meet the expectations outlined in their Global Human Rights Statement.
