Last month, claims that Starbucks stores were eliminating cash transactions stoked fierce opposition and drew calls to "#BoycottStarbucks" from some social media users in the U.S., the United Kingdom, Ireland and Canada.
The posts about the supposedly new policy usually contained a photo of a sign inside a Starbucks store.
“We’re going cashless,” the sign reads in printed capital letters. “From 1st October 2022, we will only be accepting card, contactless & Starbucks reward payments. Please ask our team for further details."
The image has been shared by thousands of Facebook and Twitter users, some of whom associated the elimination of cash with a "surveillance society."
An Aug. 30 Facebook post, which was shared more than 300 times in less than 48 hours, warns others to fight against those "pushing this agenda":
BOYCOTT STARBUCKS AGAIN FOLKS! Last time was because they decided to not support our military, this time they are going CASHLESS! Cash is legal tender in USA! We do not shop where they do not accept CASH! Do not support those that are pushing this agenda! You know where it leads. They want to own you! Please fight back for America!
But the sign in the image, likely taken at a single Starbucks franchise in the U.K., doesn't reflect company policy, the retailer told USA TODAY.
"Starbucks has no plans to go cashless across our U.K., U.S. or Canada stores," a spokesperson for the company told USA TODAY. "We want to shut...
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