Canadians could be part of new proposed class-action lawsuit against Starbucks
Canadians who’ve purchased coffee at Starbucks could be part of a proposed class-action lawsuit against the U.S. coffee chain.
Quebec-based Actis Law Group announced a proposed class action against Starbucks for its alleged “misleading representations regarding ethical sourcing and ‘100% Arabica’ coffee.”
The notice comes after a similar class-action lawsuit was filed against Starbucks in the U.S., which alleges that consumers were misled about human rights violations in its supply chain and the existence of certain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in its decaf coffee.
The allegations
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According to an online notice, Actis Law Group is pursuing a proposed class action against Starbucks, the manufacturer, marketer, and seller of Starbucks coffee products. The company faces allegations of misleading consumers regarding its ethical sourcing practices, as well as the contents of some of its coffee products.
The notice states that through its packaging, website, and public reports, Starbucks promotes its coffee as “100% Arabica coffee” and claims to be “committed to 100% ethical coffee sourcing” through its Coffee and Farmer Equity (C.A.F.E.) Practices verification program.
On its website, Starbucks also says it’s continuing to improve the program in partnership with groups such as non-profit Conservation International, in order to “measure the true impact our purchasing programs have on participating farmers and producers.”
However, the proposed lawsuit alleges that investigations by journalists, labour organizations, and human rights monitors have found that some farms certified under Starbucks’ C.A.F.E. Practices program were still associated with serious labour issues, such as unsafe working conditions, violations of local labour laws, and inadequate housing.
“Despite these findings, farms involved in such practices reportedly maintained C.A.F.E. certification,” reads the notice. “It is alleged that Starbucks failed to disclose the extent of these issues to consumers while continuing to promote its coffee as ethically sourced.”
The lawsuit also alleges that independent testing of certain decaffeinated products detected VOCs, including methylene chloride, benzene, and toluene. It claims this may be inconsistent with Starbucks’ claims that its coffee is made from “100% Arabica coffee.”
As a result of the allegations, Canadians who bought Starbucks coffee products may have paid more based on the company’s claims about ethical sourcing and product composition that may have been misleading.
In an email to Daily Hive, a Starbucks representative stated, “We take the allegations raised in the lawsuit seriously, but we firmly believe they are inaccurate and misrepresent both our sourcing practices and the integrity of our Coffee and Farmer Equity (C.A.F.E.) Practices program.”
Are you eligible?
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Canadians who purchased Starbucks coffee products during the relevant period (which has not yet been specified) could be eligible.
What should you do next?
Since the lawsuit is still in the proposal stage, you don’t have to do anything at this point. However, you can sign up on the Actis Law Group website to receive updates.
In 2024, Quebec law firm LPC Avocats filed a class-action lawsuit against Starbucks, Second Cup, and Tim Hortons, alleging that the companies acted in “bad faith in gouging consumers by charging them $0.50 to $0.80 for non-dairy substitutes that cost them no more than regular milk.”