“Starbucks Is Getting Desperate”: Starbucks And Kim Kardashian Under Fire Amidst Global Boycott

Kim Kardashian and Starbucks are under fire after allegedly plotting a PR stunt to counter $11 billion loss following global calls for boycott.

The 43-year-old reality TV star was spotted on Sunday (December 17), stepping out for a coffee run in the upscale neighborhood of Calabasas in Los Angeles.

Kim showcased her very slim waist in a white crop top with low-slung leather trousers, as she carried a tiny black snakeskin Hermes Kelly bag, her mobile phone, and a festive red Starbucks cup, all in one hand.

The entrepreneur’s drive to the coffee chain, using her $185,000 silver Mercedes-Maybach S580 (as per the Daily Mail), wouldn’t appear to be groundbreaking news at first if it wasn’t for the mᴀssive boycott calls against Starbucks that have been spreading like wildfire worldwide.

Kim Kardashian and Starbucks are under fire after allegedly plotting a PR stunt to counter an $11 billion loss following global calls for a boycott. Boycott calls against the multinational coffeehouse are stemming from a series of issues, with the main one concerning lawsuits involving its union.

Starbucks and the union organizing its workers have been suing each other in federal court over a social media post that was sent out by employees supporting Palestinians in light of the Israel-Hamas war, NorthJersey.com reported.

The coffeehouse chain reportedly sued Starbucks Workers United in federal court in October, alleging trademark infringement after the union sent out a social media post saying “Solidarity with Palestine!” a few weeks after the Hamas attack against Israel, which took place on October 7.

Starbucks Workers United subsequently countersued Starbucks, asking a federal court in Pennsylvania to rule that it can continue using its name and similar logo and saying “Starbucks defamed the union by implying that it supports terrorism and violence,” NorthJersey explained.

The calls for a boycott haven’t been confirmed as the reason for Starbucks’ huge decrease in market value, although they can’t be completely ruled out as a cause

Since last week, the TikTok data center shows that the hashtag #boycottstarbucks has been used in 760 posts. In total, the hashtag has generated over 183 million views on TikTok.

Meanwhile, the Seattle-based coffee company’s share price has seen a sharp decline since mid-November, falling by about nine percent, meaning a decline of some $11 billion in its market cap, Vox reported. Other outlets have reported a $12 billion decline.

Siye Desta, equity analyst at CFRA Research, told the publication: “Starbucks’s stock is experiencing a historic losing streak, influenced by a confluence of factors.”

“Starbucks’s stock is experiencing a historic losing streak, influenced by a confluence of factors,” an equity analyst said.

The calls for a boycott haven’t been confirmed as the reason for Starbucks’ huge decrease in market value, although they can’t be completely ruled out as a cause.

Sara Senatore, senior research analyst at Bank of America, told Vox: “I don’t think it’s the protests that are driving this.” The timeline on foot traffic declines doesn’t really line up with the boycotts, she said. Plus, Starbucks is no stranger to controversy. “This is not the first time that we’ve seen this kind of activity, and so it’s hard, in my view, to conclude that’s the reason that traffic has been so slow.”

With Kim’s seemingly suspicious timing of stepping out in public with a Starbucks cup in hand, many TikTokers were quick to point at a potential PR stunt

Nick Setyan, an equity research analyst at Wedbush, further stated: “The boycotts … could be making a little bit of a difference on the margin, a very small impact. I don’t see that having a lasting impact.”

With Kim’s seemingly suspicious timing of stepping out in public with a Starbucks cup in hand, many people on social media were quick to point at a potential PR stunt.

“Did you think we wouldn’t notice?” TikToker Robyn said in a video on the video hosting service. She continued: “You think the leather pants and a crop top for the Starbucks cup is gonna get people to come back on board?”