Starbucks Caught Charging Hidden Fee

A Massachusetts state consumer agency recently discovered that Starbucks Coffee Co. was charging an additional $1.50 for bags of coffee beans that weighed less than a pound.

The extra service fee was never posted, and customers were never informed, violating Massachusetts' consumer protection act. "For example, beans listed at $11.95 per pound ended up costing $7.45 for a half-pound — not $5.98, or 50 percent of the price," the Boston Globe reports.

Starbucks representatives say the charge reflected "the additional labor and packaging needed to accommodate those customers' unique request." Still, they've nixed the fee nationwide and had to pay a $1,575 fine.

Click here for The Ultimate Guide to Starbucks' Secret Menu Slideshow.

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