According to Yonhap News on June 17, Starbucks plans to gradually introduce summer beverages, food items, and merchandise that were delayed last month.
The company had refrained from large-scale marketing in the wake of the controversy, but the decision to resume product launches is seen as a necessary step to alleviate the burden on its partners, who could face financial strain if delays continued.
The summer products are scheduled for release based on pre-arranged timelines for ingredient production, logistics, and store deliveries. Continued postponement of products that are already prepared for delivery could disrupt sales for ingredient suppliers and logistics partners.
Previously, on May 18, Starbucks faced criticism for a tumbler promotion that included inappropriate wording related to the May 18 Democratic Uprising. Following the backlash, CEO Jeong Hyun of Starbucks Korea issued an apology, and the company announced on May 20 that it would temporarily delay its summer promotions and the Summer e-Frequency.
With this decision, the sale of summer products will return to normal, but the e-Frequency promotion, which incentivizes customer purchases through giveaways, will be excluded. Starbucks is expected to continue a cautious approach by resuming product launches while limiting large-scale marketing efforts.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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