Consumer Group Sues Starbucks for Alleged Deceptive Marketing of Its ‘100% Ethically’ Sourced Coffee

Starbucks is being sued by a consumer advocacy group alleging that the global coffee chain falsely and deceptively advertises the “committed to 100% ethical sourcing” claim on its coffee and tea products.

The lawsuit, filed by the National Consumers League in a Washington, DC court on Wednesday, alleges that Starbucks misrepresents to consumers that it is “committed to 100% ethical coffee sourcing” and to “100% ethically sourced tea” even as it continues to source coffee beans and tea leaves from cooperatives and farms that “have committed documented, severe human rights and labor abuses, including the use of child labor and forced labor as well as rampant and egregious sexual harassment and assault.”

“On every bag of coffee and on every box of K cups sitting on our grocery store shelves, Starbucks is telling consumers a lie,” Sally Greenberg, CEO of consumer advocacy group National Consumers League, said during a press conference Wednesday to discuss the lawsuit.

Read the source article at CNN Business