On November 20, blogger Yu Zehui publicly criticized Starbucks, claiming the company's app sent him targeted promotional notifications based on his real-time location. The messages promoted a "One Bean, Two Drinks" campaign at stores he was passing by—with repeated push notifications adjusting to his movements.

Yu pointed out that while Starbucks' mini-program privacy policy mentions using location data to "display promotional information," this applies only when users actively open the app—not for unsolicited push notifications.

When contacted, Starbucks customer service stated they were unaware of the issue but had forwarded the complaint to their PR department.

Regulators have previously reprimanded Starbucks over data collection practices. In June 2023, the company was warned for excessively soliciting user information and pushing official account follow-ups. In April 2025, Starbucks pledged to address guidance from Shanghai's cyberspace and market regulators. By June 2025, it was among 64 apps flagged for improper personal data collection.