FACT CHECK: Starbucks Watermelon Mug Predates Current Israel-Hamas War, Was Not Made To Support Palestine
An image shared on X, formerly Twitter, alleges Starbucks created a watermelon mug to support Palestine during its war with Israel after backlash.
Starbucks must really be feeling the boycott 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/nmz22gs5Xr
— missfalasteenia (@missfalsteenia) January 17, 2024
Verdict: False
The claim is inaccurate. The mug was originally released in the summer of 2023, predating the Israel-Hamas war.
Fact Check:
Starbucks has faced boycotts since it sued its employees’ union Workers United for posting pro-Palestine messages to social media, according to Business Insider. Since then, many of its stores have faced vandalism, its CEO claiming protestors have been influenced by “misrepresentation,” BBC reported.
An X image allegedly shows a Starbucks mug with a watermelon that was created to show support for Palestine. The watermelon is a symbol of solidarity with Palestine, as its colors match the Palestinian flag, according to AP News.
“Starbucks must really be feeling the boycott,” the caption reads.
The claim is inaccurate, however. The release of the mug predates the Israel-Hamas war, which started on Oct. 7, 2023, according to Britannica. It can be seen in a May 2023 Instagram post from the official Starbucks account for the United Arab Emirates. It was also posted to the official Facebook page for Starbucks UK in June 2023.
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There are no credible news reports about the release of a new Starbucks mug in support of Palestine. (RELATED: No, Starbucks CEO Has Not Apologized For Supporting Israel)
A Starbucks spokesperson told Check Your Fact in an email that the claim is inaccurate and that the mug launched in May 2023 and is only available in the UK in select stores. The spokesperson directed Check Your Fact to a June 2023 TikTok showing a customer purchasing the mug.
