June 20, 2019 – The Department of Consumer Protection has entered into an agreement with Starbucks over the retailer’s failure to provide prices on a number of their drink offerings at Westchester County locations. Westchester County law requires a seller of consumer goods to provide the buyer with the selling price of all consumer goods offered for sale. Consumer Protection Inspectors visited nineteen (19) locations in the County and found each of them not properly listing price.
County Executive George Latimer said: “Knowing what an item costs before paying for it is a basic consumer right and Westchester’s long established consumer laws recognize those rights. Our objective is to make sure that consumers are in a position to make informed decisions before making a purchase.”
County Consumer Protection Director Jim Maisano said: “We reached out to Starbucks to discuss our item pricing concerns when identified by our inspectors. After positive negotiations, we were pleased that Starbucks worked with us and agreed to ensure that prices for all their products sold at Westchester locations will be properly displayed. We thank Starbucks for their quick action on this very important matter and appreciate their donation to the Greyston Foundation.”
Under the agreement, Starbucks has agreed to pay a $4,500 settlement to Westchester County and make a donation of $4,500 to the Greyston Foundation Inc., which will benefit the Greyston Bakery in Yonkers. The Bakery has been recognized for its work in rehabilitating former inmates.