Group files complaint against Starbucks Korea over giveaway bags containing toxic chemicals

SEOUL, Sept. 2 (Yonhap) -- A civic group filed a complaint against Starbucks Coffee Korea on Friday in connection with giveaway picnic bags found to contain toxic chemicals.

The company came under fire in July after formaldehyde, a carcinogen, was detected in "summer carry bags," which it provided to customers who purchased 17 drinks between May and early July.

A Seoul-based nonprofit organization, called the People's Livelihood Countermeasures Committee, said it reported Starbucks Korea CEO Song Ho-seop to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on charges of violating the Framework Act On Consumers.

"Starbucks deceived consumers by only telling customers to wait for nearly a month when they complained of skin diseases after using the summer carry bags, from which a carcinogen was detected," the group said in the complaint.

Starbucks Korea apologized for the incident in late July and has been recalling the items. A total of 1,079,110 such bags have been given out to customers, according to the company.
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