Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan urges people to stop protesting the company over false online claims about their stance on Israel amid the Israel-Palestine conflict. In a letter to Starbucks employees and customers, Narasimhan said: “We see protestors influenced by misrepresentation on social media of what we stand for.”
“Cities around the world, including here in North America, have seen escalating protests. Many of our stores have experienced incidents of vandalism,” he said on Tuesday. “We have worked with local authorities to ensure our partners and customers are safe.”
Starbucks’ recent plea comes in the midst of tensions with Starbucks Workers United, the union representing Starbucks baristas. In October, Starbucks sued Starbucks Workers United over a post the union made on X that said “Solidarity with Palestine” following the Oct. 7 attack. Workers United countersued, saying Starbucks defamed the union by suggesting that it supports terrorism and violence.
Despite the boycotts and employee strikes, there’s little evidence to prove they have impacted Starbucks financially. However, the company has suffered significant losses in recent months, losing over $11 billion in value in the last quarter and experiencing an 8.96 percent market share crash, the lowest Starbucks has experienced since 1992, according to Newsweek.
