You may have noticed on our social media pages that more and more people are calling for a boycott of Starbucks, leaving many confused. Protests can be difficult to track because they stem from a range of issues. Here, we introduce the drama that followed this national coffee chain and explain why more people don't buy from the brand.
Boycott due to tensions in the Middle East
Starbucks and the union that organizes its workers are currently suing each other in federal court over social media posts made by unions supporting Palestinians in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war.
In October, the company filed a lawsuit in federal court alleging trademark infringement after Starbucks Workers United posted on social media the phrase “Solidarity with Palestine!” Weeks have passed since the Hamas attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people and took 240 hostages.
Starbucks Workers United countersued Starbucks, claiming that “Starbucks defamed the union by implying that it supported terrorism and violence.'' in federal court in Pennsylvania.
Starbucks distanced itself from the union's pro-Palestinian stance, issuing a public statement saying, “We unequivocally condemn these acts of terrorism, hatred, and violence and disagree with the statements and views expressed by Workers United and its members.” issued a statement. Starbucks also said in a statement that the union's social media posts have left customers angry and hurt, prompting them to confront employees in-store and send graphic and violent messages to the company's customer service staff. He said that he had done so.
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Public statements made by the coffee chain may have sparked further public outrage.
According to the TikTok data center, #boycottstarbucks has been used in nearly 5,000 posts and received more than 42 million views in the past 30 days. Overall, there are approximately 17,000 posts with this hashtag and more than 175,000 views.
Starbucks says it has lost many customers to its union's tweets expressing solidarity with the Palestinians, and many of the people boycotting Starbucks are pro-Palestinians. Some popular TikTok posts have received more than 100,000 likes, and users are using #boycottstarbucks and #freePalestine to express their dissatisfaction with the company.
Other videos show pro-Palestinian organizers shouting support for genocide in front of a Starbucks store in New York City.
After the Hamas attack, Israel retaliated with intensive bombing in the Gaza Strip. At least 17,487 Palestinians have been killed since the October 7 attack, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Protesters across the country are calling for a ceasefire.
Starbucks goes into the red
While it may not be related to the boycott, it's important to note that Starbucks' market value has fallen by nearly $11 billion (down 9.4%) over the past month. The coffee chain's stock price fell 1.6% on Dec. 7, marking the seventh straight market decline.
trade union protests
The drama surrounding Starbucks goes beyond the consumer boycott. The barrage of lawsuits between companies and employees is just one example of how the two sides have clashed in recent years.
Starbucks Workers United, which represents thousands of baristas at 340 stores nationwide, is still trying to secure its first union contract.
This saga between the company and its employees dates back to 2021, when a Starbucks store in Buffalo, New York, became the first in the nation to unionize. Since then, hundreds of stores across the country have followed suit.
Five Starbucks stores in New Jersey have agreed to unionize, the latest being a Roxbury Township store in August. Other facilities are in Hopewell, Hamilton, Summit and Montclair.
Starbucks employees want to negotiate on issues such as higher wages, better working conditions and schedules.
The ongoing struggle has led to worker protests, most recently on November 16, Starbucks' Red Cup Day. On this promotional day, Starbucks is giving away a reusable cup to customers who order a holiday drink. Employees at 360 stores went on strike on one of the chain's busiest days of the year. Some stores were closed for most of the day, while others were closed for only a few hours.
The union said Starbucks is doing everything it can to stop the movement, from fines for workers to store closures.
Tensions between the company and labor unions could damage Starbucks' reputation. As consumer boycotts continue, the company is looking for new ways to increase sales. This month, as part of Festive Thurd-Yays, Rewards members are offering 50% off Thursday afternoon drinks. Starbucks hopes that the boycott and protests will end soon and that its revenue will return to an upward trend.
