Actress Thandie Newton Calls Starbucks Out on Twitter for Offensive Store Display

The chain soon tweeted an apology, and is working on a formal statement.

Hear that? It's the sound of someone in Starbucks' marketing department about to get fired. The coffee giant is profusely apologizing after actress Thandie Newton drew attention to a questionable store display on Twitter earlier this week, reports the Mirror.

The actress posted a photo of a statue at the counter of a central London Starbucks that was being used to display Colombian coffee beans:

Seriously @Starbucks? At the counter - Loin cloth and Safari hat on a black child. Happy New Year circa 19th century http://pic.twitter.com/kD3qgKmti1

— Thandie Newton (@thandienewton) January 4, 2016

The company soon issued an apology to the actress for its eyebrow-raising choice of decor:

@thandienewton we are very concerned to learn of this incident & we can’t apologise enough. We have removed the figure & are investigating.

— Starbucks Help (@starbuckshelp) January 5, 2016

Unsurprisingly, the photo is drawing some ire from other Twitter users:

@thandienewton @khanyisile @Starbucks Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised. Robbing Ethiopian farmers to sell coffee at 1500% profit.

— perfect hlongwane (@perfecthow) January 6, 2016

@thandienewton @Starbucks Did you have to get your morning madeline out of a mammy jar?

— David Poland (@DavidPoland) January 5, 2016

Starbucks just can't seem to stay out of headlines lately: In November, the chain was decried as waging a "war on Christmas" when it issued its annual holiday cups in a decidedly non-festive plain red design, leading presidential candidate Donald Trump to consider a boycott. Then in December, the company was put on blast by Momofuku head honcho David Chang after it began carrying bagel balls, baked goods strongly resembling a product that's been produced by Momofuku sibling Milk Bar for several years. There was also a brief (and ridiculous) hubbub over some polar bear cookies, though that was quickly put to rest when it was revealed the cookies had been discontinued years earlier.

Eater is currently awaiting comment from Starbucks.

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