A consumer advocacy organization is suing Starbucks, the world's largest coffee company, for deceptive advertising, alleging that it sources coffee and tea from farms with human rights and labor abuses while promoting ethical sourcing.
On Wednesday, American consumers filed a lawsuit in Washington, D.C., alleging that the coffee giant is misleading the public by widely marketing its “100% ethical” sourcing commitment on its coffee and tea products.
Sally Greenberg, CEO of the National Consumers League, the legal advocacy group launching the complaint, claimed Starbucks' commitment to 100% ethical sourcing is displayed on every bag of coffee and box of K-cups.
Starbucks has continued to buy from coffee and tea estates in Guatemala, Kenya, and Brazil despite reports of human rights and labor abuses, according to the lawsuit.
Starbucks declined to comment on its sourcing relationships with the farms and companies named in the lawsuit, “We take allegations like these extremely seriously and are actively engaged with farms to ensure they adhere to our standards.
In recent years, Brazilian labor officials have cracked down on several Starbucks suppliers for abusive and unsafe labor practices, including garnishing farm workers' wages for harvesting equipment.
Starbucks said it was “deeply concerned” about the Reporter Brasil stories and labor abuses in Kenya and Guatemala cited in the lawsuit and would “thoroughly investigate” labor violations, “take immediate action” to suspend purchases.
A Starbucks coffee buyer claims the company's ethical sourcing seal “means that we are buying coffee, making sure that it's good for the planet and good for the people who produce it” in a coffee school promotional film.