Why more than 2,000 Starbucks stores are closed today
Jen Thomas
Featured Image Credit: Jade GAO / AFP via Getty Images
Starbucks fans have been left wanting today after more than 2,000 stores closed.
That's what happened to customers looking for a drink in South Korea, after all 2,160 stores closed at 3 pm sharp for company wide training.
The shock move to shut the doors is a rare one, as this is the first time Starbucks has had a nationwide shutdown since the first branch opened all the way back in 1999.
A closure was forced for history training, which comes after a sizeable backlash due to a so-called 'Tank Day' promotion earlier this year.
Advert
Staff will now be undergoing ‘social sensitivity training’, and it's estimated that the closure will cost the company around 2.1bn won ($1.4m) in lost sales from fans wating a caffeine fix while they undergo the mandatory history lesson.
People were left outraged after the brand produced a 'tank' tumbler, a limited edition item that was promoted on 18 May.
This date fell on the anniversary of a 1980 massacre which took place in Gwangju, a noted tragedy which saw South Korea’s former military dictatorship killing activists, with troops and tanks.
To make matters worse, the controversial ‘Tank’ tumbler was promoted with a slogan which read ‘thwack it on the table’.
Many critics familiar with the situation perceived the slogan as a reference to an attempted police cover-up in the wake of the torture and death of student activist, Park Jong-chol.
It was alleged by law enforcement in 1987 that the student died after investigators had ‘hit the desk with a thwack’.
The advertising campaign was pulled within hours, but the damage was already done.
Many called for a boycott of the company while others cut ties with the brand.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung hit out at Starbucks, saying he was ‘engraged’ by the advert.
He added that it was ‘inhumane and disgraceful behaviour by cheap profiteers’.
Chung Yong-jin, the billionaire chair of Shinsegae Group, who also apologised for the campaign, confirmed he will also take part in the training.
Starbucks issued an apology: "We sincerely apologise for causing inconvenience and concern to our customers due to this."
"We have immediately suspended the event and will review and improve our internal processes to prevent similar incidents from recurring in the future."
Their US headquarters also issued an apology, saying ‘while unintentional, [the incident] should never have happened’.
"We recognise the deep pain and offense this has caused, particularly to those who honor the victims, their families, and all who contributed to Korea's democratisation," it said.
Police are still investigating, with Chung and former chief executive, Son Jung-hyun, being registered as criminal suspects by Seoul police.