The Great Big Starbucks Rip-Off

DonGotti

Investigators have uncovered a secret Starbucks ploy to get you to spend more money.

The marketing ploy is known as 'product sabotage'. This involves only large measures of drinks being featured on their menu boards.

The most lavish drinks generate the highest profits

Tills have a button for the smallest drink, which at 8oz and a third cheaper is simply not listed to customers, so coffee bar frequenters do not know it exists.

The investigation was undertaken by Tim Harford, who presents the new BBC2 series Trust Me, I'm an Economist.

Harford said: 'The most lavish drinks generate the highest profits.

Coffee companies hide or downplay the cheaper drinks in the hope that customers will buy something pricier.'

Coffee house

Coffee Republic, another high street chain, also does this and 'hides' its short cappuccino drink. In their outlets there is a 'blank space with no price where this drink should be listed', watchdogs found.

http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/article.html?in_article_id=19059&in_page_id=2

bbanduser

You could have just linked to the original BBC news item http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5274352.stm instead of trying to show that you have actually done the investigation yourself!

fox2319

Or even a link to the original spot on the forums ages ago? (Early June! - Not bad)

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=207132

Cheers

Jeff

DrFluffy

My local Starbucks (all 15 of them - that's Central London for you ) all display prices for all their sizes. Also if you don't specify which size you want they always ask in an open manner - not trying to push you into a Vente if you don't want one....

I can't wait for winter - I am getting serious Toffee Nut Latte withdrawal!

TheGuvnor_2

bbanduser wrote:

You could have just linked to the original BBC news item http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5274352.stm instead of trying to show that you have actually done the investigation yourself!

A little harsh, don't you think? The way I read it was not that the OP was trying to claim credit for some sort of undercover investigation, rather that they were relaying a story they read in the Metro.

Surely it would have been much friendlier if you had said "You can also read more about it at the BBC".

grade15

anyone for a "short Cappuccino"? :dance:

Norman-B

TheGuvnor wrote:

A little harsh, don't you think? The way I read it was not that the OP was trying to claim credit for some sort of undercover investigation, rather that they were relaying a story they read in the Metro.

Surely it would have been much friendlier if you had said "You can also read more about it at the BBC".

Have to agree with you.

nickyhutch

So do I agree.

mm66

by the way another saving technique, if you like plain coffee with out without milk, is to ask for a caraffe of coffee of whatever blend you like. they have to especially make it so it is fresh and you get the blend you like rather than whatever they are selling. it is priced at £3.5 but it easily has 2/3 regular cups in it. So when we go we normally ask for kenya blend which is our favourite ans for 2/3 of us it cost less and is better coffee.

DonGotti

bbanduser wrote:

You could have just linked to the original BBC news item http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5274352.stm instead of trying to show that you have actually done the investigation yourself!

You what? Anyone with half a brain can conclude that I am not presenting the posting as my own research. I've even added the link to the Metro newspaper at the bottom.

I put the whole article so that those who can't be bothered to click the link can see what it's about. I don't even drink coffee at Starbucks, but put it up for those who do.

In future, I'll be a lot more clearer for the sake of people like yourself

stiffnuts69

bbanduser wrote:

You could have just linked to the original BBC news item http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5274352.stm instead of trying to show that you have actually done the investigation yourself!

I know I can be harsh sometimes but boy that was harsh, in fact th op Says "The investigation was undertaken by Tim Harford, who presents the new BBC2 series Trust Me, I'm an Economist."

so bb dont be silly