(DailyDig.com) – According to a consumer advocacy organization that sued the corporation on January 10, Starbucks’ coffee is inaccurately and deceptively obtained.
Despite the company’s claims of “100% ethical sourcing,” the complaint claims it is obtaining its products from farms found to be engaging in labor and human rights violations.
The lawsuit on behalf of US customers was filed in court in Washington, D.C. It claims that the coffee company is deceiving the public by sourcing from farms with known labor and human rights violations.
Reports have surfaced detailing labor and human rights abuses on some coffee plantations in Brazil, Kenya, and Guatemala. The complaint claims that Starbucks has persisted in buying from these farms despite the infractions.
A representative from Starbucks has confirmed that the company is aware of the complaint and intends to vigorously counter the allegations that the coffee chain has misled consumers about its dedication to ethical trade. Each supply chain must undergo reverification on a regular basis.
Brazilian media reported that in 2022, Brazilian inspectors rescued 17 workers, three of whom were children, from modern-day slavery at a coffee estate owned by the roasting firm that had recently acquired Starbucks’ accreditation.
In 2004, Starbucks established its sourcing guidelines, C.A.F.E. Practices, to manage the procurement of coffee from over 30 different nations. Working in tandem with Conservation International, SCS Global Services oversees the verification program.
Starbucks’ coffee suppliers are subject to over 200 requirements pertaining to quality, labor, and the environment as a result of the verification program. If a farm fails to comply, Starbucks may suspend its ability to supply products until remedial measures are verified.
Experts, however, have long maintained that questions about the efficacy of such programs exist.
It is difficult to detect the frequency of labor violations by Starbucks’ certified suppliers because the company does not make public lists of these suppliers, despite operating ten farmer-support centers in many coffee-producing countries worldwide.
Copyright 2024, DailyDig.com
