Starbucks faces serious allegations related to human trafficking and forced labor practices in its coffee supply chain, as detailed in a class-action lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The plaintiffs, supported by the nonprofit legal advocacy organization International Rights Advocates, allege that workers on Brazilian coffee plantations supplying Starbucks are subjected to “slavery-like” conditions. These conditions reportedly involve laborers being trafficked by illegal brokers known as Gatos.
For those seeking comprehensive details on this ongoing litigation, the claims are extensively covered in the original article on Law.com. Note that access to the full article might require a subscription, as it is behind a paywall.