US coffee giant Starbucks ‘deeply shocked’ by report two China shops used expired ingredients
- An undercover report on Monday by the state-backed The Beijing News showed staff in the eastern Chinese city of Wuxi using expired cocoa liquid, matcha liquid and cream
- The American coffee chain, which has 5,400 shops in China, closed both outlets pending an investigation
American coffee chain Starbucks said it was “deeply shocked” after videos of expired ingredients being used in two shops in the eastern Chinese city of Wuxi went viral on social media.
State-backed newspaper The Beijing News on Monday published an article and subsequent videos taken by undercover reporters posing as a member of staff claiming to show expired cocoa liquid, matcha liquid and cream being used in drinks that were served to customers.
In one video, an employee can be seen removing an expiry date on a bottle of chocolate chips and replacing it with a new label, artificially extending the shelf life by one week.
The video also showed cake said to be from the previous day being sold, as well as a bin being cleaned with a towel intended to be used for tables.
We take what was reported by local media very seriously, and have immediately closed the two stores in question to conduct a thorough investigation
“We take what was reported by local media very seriously, and have immediately closed the two stores in question to conduct a thorough investigation,” a Starbucks statement said after the report concerning its Zhenze Road and Changxing Building stores emerged.
“Since entering the Chinese mainland market 22 years ago, we have been committed to implementing strict food safety standards and adopting a ‘zero tolerance’ policy towards food safety issues. We welcome the continued supervision of members of the media and the public.”