Calling bullshit, @starbucks
Disclosure: I am not a corporation-hater. My husband works for a big corporation and so did I for many years. I also happen to love Starbucks coffee, its shops, pretty much everything about it.
But today, I call BULLSHIT on the monolithic coffee purveyor.
I bought Starbucks VIA Iced Coffee to enjoy at my office. As I have documented here, I am also on Weight Watchers. That means I do pay attention to nutritional labels. Well, I do now anyway.
Now, I am not an idiot and I realize this product contains sugar and has no nutritional value, so it’s not like I expected it to be anything but an indulgence. But you know what, Starbucks, don’t play me for a fool.
The front of the package (shown above) indicates that there are five packets that will make 16 ounce servings. The instructions on how to make the iced coffee indicate that you should use a packet with 16 ounces of cold water, mix well, add ice and enjoy.
The nutritional label says there is 50 calories per serving.
For a 16-ounce serving?
No. For an 8-ounce serving. All the calories, carbs, etc. are broken down for HALF a packet. There are 10 servings in the box, according to the fine print. The packets, by the way, are not resealable. So each packet is intended, I assume, to a SINGLE serving.
That? Is bullshit.
Now, is 50 calories really a deal-breaker for my diet? No. In the grand scheme of things, does it really matter to my health and happiness? Of course not.
Did I enjoy the 100 calories I consumed drinking this product? I most certainly did.
But does it annoy the holy fuck out of me that some marketing asshole figured out a way that to make this product, at a quick glance, appear to be less than 100 calories, thus not tripping off any alarm bells for the triple-digit calorie count in the mind of those who are watching that sort of thing? Yes it does.
And before anyone tells me I shouldn’t spend my money with the Corporate Man and should support the local coffee shop, let me remind you to read the disclosure. And let me say that our local coffee shop is staffed completely by surly hipster assbags who act like they hate the fact that I even exist.
I love you Starbucks. I will continue to spend my money with you and your friendly staff in your nice, clean stores.
But on this point, I gotta call bullshit.
