Case Intel
- D.C. Superior Court refused to throw out NCL’s case over Starbucks’ “100% ethically sourced” claims
- Judge says whether Starbucks’ statements are misleading “puffery” is a question for a jury, not for dismissal
- Ruling leans on D.C.’s pro-consumer CPPA, which guarantees a right to truthful information
By Samuel Lopez – USA Herald
WASHINGTON, DC. – A closely watched consumer-protection lawsuit taking aim at Starbucks’ “100% ethically sourced” branding just cleared its first major hurdle. On August 7, 2025, a D.C. Superior Court judge denied Starbucks’ motion to dismiss, allowing the National Consumers League (NCL) to press forward with claims that the company’s coffee and tea marketing misleads customers about labor conditions in its supply chain.
NCL, which filed the case in January 2024, says Starbucks’ polished sustainability messaging—right down to in-store placards and the “ethical sourcing” seal on retail bags—doesn’t match the realities of farms in its supplier network.
In a statement after the ruling, NCL CEO Sally Greenberg called it “a major step forward,” asserting that “consumers have a right to truthful information under Washington, D.C. law.” National Consumers League
