Starbucks ethically sourced lawsuit overview:
- Who: Starbucks is facing a lawsuit from the National Consumers League over its claims of ethically sourced coffee and tea.
- Why: The ethically sourced coffee lawsuit claims that Starbucks obtains coffee beans and tea leaves from cooperatives and farms with documented human rights and labor abuses.
- Where: The Starbucks lawsuit was filed in federal court in Washington, D.C.
Starbucks is facing a lawsuit from the National Consumers League saying the company claims to have ethically sourced coffee beans and tea leaves but actually sources those products from cooperatives and farms with documented human rights and labor infractions.
Starbucks’ suppliers have been found to be committing egregious forms of worker exploitation at farms such as the Cooxupé cooperative, which has been accused of abusive and unsafe working conditions similar to slavery, the Starbucks ethically sourced products lawsuit says.
“Consumers have been misled by Starbucks’ deceptive advertising, and Starbucks, with annual profits exceeding $21 billion, has unjustly benefited from branding itself as an industry leader in corporate responsibility while hiding the true nature of its unreliable and inadequate sourcing practices,” the Starbucks lawsuit says.
Tea plantation faces gender violence, sexual harassment accusations
Similar issues have been found by investigative journalists and government officials related to Starbucks’ tea leave sources, the lawsuit says.
The BBC found the James Finlay and Co. tea plantation in Kenya had accusations of gender-based violence and sexual harassment including “women reported being forced to engage in sexual acts in exchange for work,” the ethically sourced coffee lawsuit says.
Starbucks has turned a blind eye to the accusations and continued to claim it has ethically sourced coffee and tea, the Starbucks lawsuit says.
A consumer group filed a complaint with Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson claiming the company uses dark patterns to lure its customers into spending more than they normally would using the Starbucks app.
Have you purchased Starbucks coffee or tea for its ethically sourced claims? Let us know in the comments.
The plaintiff is represented by Daniel M. Rosenthal and Charlotte H. Schwartz of James and Hoffman PC, along with Stacey M. Leyton, Connie K. Chan and Bronwen B. O’Herin of Altshuler Berzon LLP, Sally J. Greenberg of the National Consumers League and Tracy Rezvani of The Rezvani Law Firm LLC.
The Starbucks ethically sourced product lawsuit is National Consumers League v. Starbucks Corp., case number unknown, in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia.
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22 thoughts onConsumer group hits Starbucks with lawsuit over ethically sourced coffee, tea sourcing
add me,
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Yes, that’s why I buy from Starbucks.
Add me Please, bought many during winter months!
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I bought a lot during their winter event.
please include me
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I really hope people stop supporting these mega corporations and support local vendors and small businesses instead. The truth is most of the major corporations use some form of slavery somewhere along the supply chain, usually in the production or sourcing of materials. The global corporations have proven again and again that they disregard human freedom for the sake of profit. They turn a blind eye to this massive injustice while maintaining global influence on the market. They take raw pure earth material and turn it into poison for profit, while creating the facade of innocence through pervasive marketing. People think it’s harmless because they see it everywhere, and the advertisements make it seem innocuous. Anyway, I’m just rambling, I believe freedom will prevail.
Completely agree with your statements. People need to quit making these “woke” globalist companies have the power and greed that they do. I have never liked the taste of Starbucks coffee! ITS GIT A BITTER TASTE.