Starbucks faces lawsuit over alleged deceptive marketing

By Sevgi Ceren Gokkoyun

NEW YORK (AA) - A US consumer group has filed a lawsuit against Starbucks, claiming that the company provides its customers with "misleading and deceptive" ethically sourced coffee and tea.

Although Starbucks claims to source ethically produced coffee and tea, the company's marketing actually misleads consumers, claimed a statement by the National Consumers League.

The statement claimed that Starbucks has failed to share information about its purchases from coffee and tea farms and cooperatives with a history of child labor, forced labor, sexual harassment, and assault, among other human rights violations.

The lawsuit includes evidence alleged to show that the company bought products from locations involved in such violations.

Sally Greenberg, the league’s executive director, alleged that Starbucks lied to its customers on every coffee package sitting on supermarket shelves.

Pointing to serious human rights and labor violations in Starbucks' supply chain, she said consumers have the right to know exactly what they are paying for.

He said her group is committed to exposing these deceptive practices and holding Starbucks accountable for its claims.

*Writing by Alperen Aktas in Istanbul