Fears of underage drinking as flagship Hong Kong Starbucks that sells beer and cocktails opens in Causeway Bay
Youth groups fear high foot traffic in Causeway Bay could make the 5,500 sq ft store – the city’s largest – a place teens go for alcohol but the company says it is taking measures to ensure safety
Starbucks will serve an expanded alcoholic drinks menu when it opens its new flagship store in Hong Kong’s teeming Causeway Bay on Friday, raising fears among some youth groups that the shop could be a haven for underage drinking.
The 5,500 sq ft store, located at Lee Garden Three, is the largest in the city and the first to serve a complete menu of coffee-infused craft beers and cocktails. The company is looking to offer its expanded drinks menu at other locations if the bar in Lee Garden is well-received, the company said.
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While the chain offers a limited alcohol menu at one of its locations in Central, some are worried that the shop’s location in Causeway Bay – a popular district for teens younger than the city’s legal drinking age of 18 – will attract underage drinkers.
Sky Siu, executive director at the youth charity KELY Support Group, said the shop should be proactive in helping stop underage drinking by alerting customers that some of the drinks contain alcohol, especially parents.
“Coffee shops are a popular choice among young people for hanging out, reading or even studying. We recommend the shops being vigilant in checking IDs for those who may be younger than 18,” Siu said.
