Starbucks has angered staff and customers by introducing new guidelines that ban employees from wearing certain types of jewellery.
The coffee giant instructed employees that they would no longer be allowed to wear rings that contain precious stones for health and safety reasons.
The new guidelines also prohibit watches, bracelets or wristbands. Simple necklaces may be worn underneath clothes. Employees’ nails must also be kept clean and short, with no polish, and no more than two earrings per ear.
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Employees are also not allowed to have brightly coloured hair, with Starbucks saying it must "look natural". It will allow its staff to have tattoos, but they must not be on the neck or face or contain swear words.
"As a partner, your appearance is a reflection of the Starbucks brand and how we show up collectively is important to our customers," the company said.
Employees and customers quickly took to social media to vent their anger and call for people to boycott the company until it changes its rules.
So @Starbucks won't require hairnets, but they'll say NO Engagement Rings?!?! Totally makes sense!!! #BoycottStarbucks— Stephanie Nichole (@steph82nichole) November 5, 2014
@Starbucks my fiancée and I will not be drinking any Starbucks until you exclude engagement rings from your ban on Jewelry #boycottstarbucks— California Kid (@CaliPoliticz) October 31, 2014
So if this no engagement rings is a national FDA law, why have I only seen Starbucks implement it? #boycottstarbucks— Danielle Brigance (@danielleb1221) November 6, 2014
#BoycottStarbucks - when you buy from @starbucks, you encourage abusive upper management & likely bigots. http://t.co/JCG1gjCpr9— lisa sommers (@snarkyRedhd) November 6, 2014
In a statement to BuzzFeed, Starbucks said it had not created these rules and was simply adhering to state guidelines. "Local and state laws require this regulation because jewellery, such as rings with jewels, bracelets, wrist watches or wristbands, can collect soil, debris and bacteria, which can contaminate food and beverages."
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