Judge questions Starbucks bid to toss ethical sourcing class action lawsuit

Starbucks class action lawsuit overview:

• Who: A Washington federal judge questioned Starbucks Corporation’s bid to dismiss a class action lawsuit brought by 16 consumers.
• Why: The plaintiffs argue that Starbucks’ “100% ethical sourcing” labels mislead consumers given the reported labor abuses at its supplier farms.
• Where: The Starbucks class action lawsuit is pending in Washington federal court.

A Washington federal judge has challenged Starbucks’ bid to dismiss a class action lawsuit alleging it misleads consumers with its “100% ethical coffee sourcing” pledge, Law360 reports. 

Plaintiffs Jennifer Williams and 15 others claim Starbucks promoted the pledge on its labels despite reports of forced labor and other human rights violations at supplier farms in Brazil, Guatemala and China. 

They allege that government authorities, journalists and human rights activists have repeatedly found unsafe working conditions, wage theft and other labor law violations at Starbucks-certified farms while consumers paid a premium for the coffee based on ethical claims.

Williams and David Strauss filed the Starbucks lawsuit in January. Starbucks moved to dismiss the original complaint on March 23, according to court records, and 14 more consumers joined the case in an amended complaint filed in April.

The plaintiffs want to represent a nationwide class of consumers who have bought Starbucks coffee products bearing the challenged label since the start of 2016.

They also seek to represent subclasses of purchasers in Washington, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina and Wisconsin.

Brazilian plantation workers have filed a separate proposed class action lawsuit over labor violations at coffee farms, and Starbucks recently moved to dismiss that case, Law360 reports.

In a separate case in the District of Columbia, a judge denied Starbucks’ motion to dismiss similar claims over its “100% ethical” sourcing representations in August 2025.

Judge points to QR code, certification claims on ethical sourcing labels

According to a Law360 report, during an Oct. 27 hearing, U.S. District Judge Kymberly K. Evanson noted that the lawsuit challenges more than just a single slogan. She pointed out that Starbucks’ packaging also highlights a partnership with Conservation International and includes a QR code linking to the company’s website.

The judge then questioned Starbucks’ counsel on why this combined branding would not lead a reasonable consumer to believe the coffee was ethically sourced.

Starbucks argued that a reasonable consumer would read the 100% claim as aspirational rather than a verifiable promise, and that none of the plaintiffs said they visited its website, Law360 reports.

The company also said the plaintiffs point to isolated problems at about 10 of the thousands of farms in its supply chain. Plaintiffs’ attorney Steve W. Berman countered that the plaintiffs do not challenge Starbucks’ standards but allege the company knowingly fell short of them, the report says.

Judge Evanson took the motion under advisement and will issue a written ruling in due course. The plaintiffs assert claims of fraudulent concealment and violations of consumer protection laws.

Meanwhile, Starbucks is facing a separate class action lawsuit claiming its “sugar-free” protein beverages contain up to 21 grams of sugar.

Have you purchased Starbucks coffee labeled as 100% ethically sourced? Let us know in the comments.

The plaintiffs are represented by Steve W. Berman, Catherine Y.N. Gannon and Iris Chen of Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP; Kim E. Richman of Richman Law & Policy; and Anthony C. Sampson of Yale Law School’s Private Law Clinic.

The Starbucks class action lawsuit is Williams, et al. v. Starbucks Corporation, Case No. 2:26-cv-00112, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.

Read About More Class Action Lawsuits & Class Action Settlements:

• Meta, Snap settle social media addiction lawsuits ahead of Los Angeles trial
• $5M Jeep lawsuit settlement to resolve Wrangler 4xe class action
• Skechers class action lawsuit claims tariff risks were overstated in buyout
• Stellantis recalls more than 13K Dodge Durango vehicles due to tail light issues