Coffee-lovers have taken matters into their own hands this week, after Starbucks sparked outrage with the 'lacklustre' launch of their new 'Bearista' cup.
For anyone out of the loop with the caffeine controversy, the roastery chain last week issued an apology after one of their new festive products sold out within a matter of hours, with baristas themselves also being accused of taking advantage of the drop.
The brand new 'Bearista Cold Cup' was first announced by brand reps on Thursday (6 Nov), with a number of videos fearing a 20-ounce, bear-shaped tumbler, complete with a green-straw 'beanie' lid.
Apparently, however, Starbucks' heavy online promotion of the new Christmassy cups came back to bite them in the a*se, after they sold out within hours of being released onto the world.
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Some customers even claimed they witnessed their local branch's baristas bagging the products themselves prior to stores opening.
"I waited an hour before open to get the Bearista cup," one outraged Reddit user hit out last week. "We witnessed an employee pulling both off the shelf and buying them two minutes before store open, right in front of us waiting outside."
Another claimed: "I asked a few stores around my area yesterday. They told me they will have zero when stores open since employees get first dibs."
As we say, Starbucks later issued a formal apology, acknowledging that demand had 'exceeded expectations' and that many customers were left disappointed.
"The excitement for our merchandise exceeded even our biggest expectations and despite shipping more Bearista cups to coffeehouses than almost any other merchandise item this holiday season, the Bearista cup and some other items sold out fast," a spokesperson said in a statement.
"We understand many customers were excited about the Bearista cup and apologise for the disappointment this may have caused."
Despite this promise, however, coffee-lovers have resorted to other means of getting their beary-much needed fix (see what I did there?).
Thankfully, a group of shoppers recently came across an inadvertent 'dupe' of the viral 'Bearista' cup being sold at Walmart for a fraction of the price.
Whilst Starbucks' version is being retailed at $29.95 in the States (equal to around £22.72 in the UK), the Walmart version retails at a much more reasonable $18.99 (£14.40) - and that's for a set of two.
According to E!, also included in the budget-friendly bundle are four dishwasher-safe straws, as well as a straw cleaner, and even a custom bottle brush.
On top of this, they come in three different colour combos - 'blizzard & creamsicle', 'blueberry pie & firetruck', or 'cherry blossom & unicorn'.
Amazon also have their own 'dupe' in the form of a 'Kawaii Bear Clear Sippy Cup'.
Not only does it also come with a metal lid and stripy straw, but you can also choose between the bear showing a serious or smiling expression, all for $21.99 (£16.68).
Similarly, you can grab a version on Etsy, complete with a yellow flip-top lid to avoid spillages, and a clear glass straw.
This 'Honey Bear Iced Coffee Cup' retails at around £15 (£11).
Topics: Starbucks, Food and Drink, Christmas, Shopping
Rhianna Benson