Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan said on Tuesday people protesting against the company over its stance on the Israel-Hamas war have been "influenced by misrepresentation on social media" of what the coffee chain stands for.
Narasimhan, in a letter to employees, noted many of Starbucks' stores have experienced incidents of vandalism, and added the company has worked with local authorities to ensure the safety of its workers and customers.
Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan said on Tuesday people protesting against the company over its stance on the Israel-Hamas war have been "influenced by misrepresentation on social media" of what the coffee chain stands for.
Narasimhan, in a letter to employees, noted many of Starbucks' stores have experienced incidents of vandalism, and added the company had worked with local authorities to ensure the safety of its workers and customers.
The company at the time said it "unequivocally condemns acts of terrorism, hate and violence", adding it strongly disagreed with the views expressed by the union.
Starbucks is not the only company taking heat over the Israel-Hamas war.
Reuters earlier this month reported that Zara pulled an advertising campaign featuring mannequins with missing limbs and statues wrapped in white from the front page of its website and app yesterday after it prompted calls by some pro-Palestine activists for a boycott of the fashion retailer.
Inditex, which owns Zara, said the change was part of its normal procedure of refreshing content. It did not comment on the boycott calls, but said the “Atelier” collection was conceived in July and the photos were taken in September. The war between Israel and Hamas began after October 7.
REUTERS