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| Version 7 | Version 8 |
|---|---|
| Starbucks apologises to Mandelson | Starbucks apologises to Mandelson |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| US coffee chain Starbucks has apologised for comments about the UK economy which prompted a four-letter word tirade from Lord Mandelson. | US coffee chain Starbucks has apologised for comments about the UK economy which prompted a four-letter word tirade from Lord Mandelson. |
| The business secretary hit out at comments by Starbucks chairman Howard Schultz in a TV interview that the UK economy was in "spiral" of decline. | |
| A Starbucks spokesman said there had been no intention by the company to criticise the UK economy. | A Starbucks spokesman said there had been no intention by the company to criticise the UK economy. |
| The peer welcomed the apology, saying he considered the matter closed. | The peer welcomed the apology, saying he considered the matter closed. |
| Lord Mandelson appeared on financial channel CNBC shortly after Mr Schultz to rebut his comments. | |
| But speaking later at a diplomatic reception in New York, he is reported to have launched an angry tirade against the Starbucks boss, saying: "Why should I have that guy running down the country?". | But speaking later at a diplomatic reception in New York, he is reported to have launched an angry tirade against the Starbucks boss, saying: "Why should I have that guy running down the country?". |
| He then reportedly used a four-letter word to ask who Mr Schultz was, adding: "How the hell are they [Starbucks] doing?" | |
| Asked to comment on the story, a spokesman for Lord Mandelson said: "We don't stand by the language. But we do stand by the sentiment." | Asked to comment on the story, a spokesman for Lord Mandelson said: "We don't stand by the language. But we do stand by the sentiment." |
| Closures | Closures |
| Mr Schultz's criticism came in an interview with CNBC's Maria Bartiromo. | |
| I am glad that Mr Schultz has stepped back from his original remarks. I made my point and regard the matter as closed. Lord Mandelson | I am glad that Mr Schultz has stepped back from his original remarks. I made my point and regard the matter as closed. Lord Mandelson |
| Quizzed about international business conditions and the economic situation in the UK, he said: "The place that concerns us the most is western Europe and specifically the UK." | Quizzed about international business conditions and the economic situation in the UK, he said: "The place that concerns us the most is western Europe and specifically the UK." |
| He added: "Unemployment, the subprime mortgage crisis specifically in the UK, and I think consumer confidence in the UK is very, very poor." | He added: "Unemployment, the subprime mortgage crisis specifically in the UK, and I think consumer confidence in the UK is very, very poor." |
| Lord Mandelson appeared on the same programme an hour later to insist Mr Schultz was wrong about the British economy. | |
| He said: "The UK is not spiralling, although I have noticed that Starbucks is in a great deal of trouble. But that may be because of their overexposure given the state of the market. So please do not project Starbucks onto the UK economy as a whole." | He said: "The UK is not spiralling, although I have noticed that Starbucks is in a great deal of trouble. But that may be because of their overexposure given the state of the market. So please do not project Starbucks onto the UK economy as a whole." |
| But the Starbucks spokesman insisted there had been no intention to criticise the performance of the British economy. | But the Starbucks spokesman insisted there had been no intention to criticise the performance of the British economy. |
| "It is a difficult economic situation in the US and around the world. Please be assured that Starbucks has no intention of criticising the economic situation in the UK," he said. | "It is a difficult economic situation in the US and around the world. Please be assured that Starbucks has no intention of criticising the economic situation in the UK," he said. |
| "The reality of the global economy is that no country is immune to the difficulties. We are all in this together and as a global business we are committed to each and every market we serve." | "The reality of the global economy is that no country is immune to the difficulties. We are all in this together and as a global business we are committed to each and every market we serve." |
| Lord Mandelson said: "I am glad that Mr Schultz has stepped back from his original remarks. I made my point and regard the matter as closed." | Lord Mandelson said: "I am glad that Mr Schultz has stepped back from his original remarks. I made my point and regard the matter as closed." |
| Starbucks recently announced the closure of nearly 1,000 unprofitable shops around the world. | Starbucks recently announced the closure of nearly 1,000 unprofitable shops around the world. |