Starbucks forced to apologize after customers brawl over viral 'Bearista cups'

Starbucks has been forced to issue an apology to customers following the launch of its Bearista cold-cups, which saw shoppers brawling over the seasonal must-have.

The iconic glass cups were launched worldwide on Thursday as part of the coffee chain’s holiday collection, but demand soon outstripped supply, with the adorable cup selling out within minutes.

In a bid to try and secure the coveted product, some customers were even caught getting into fights to try and bring one home, with many disappointed fans forced to come away empty-handed despite heading to the stores before they even opened.

“I got up at 4.00am and drove to a location that specifically said it would have this cup. I was first in line, they didn’t have it. I drove to four more locations, none of them had it and said they never did,” one social media user wrote.

“If you are going to excite people over this then make sure ALL stores have supply. So many people are disappointed.”

There was even speculation on TikTok that some Starbucks employees had been purchasing the products for themselves before they went on sale.

“All the Starbucks employees came and took everything. And we've been waiting in line outside. That is so crazy to me,” someone alleged.

But it turns out not even Starbucks itself had anticipated quite how many people would fall in love with the glass bear-themed cup and want to take it home.

Starbucks said in a statement: “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.

“We understand many customers were excited about the Bearista cup and apologize for the disappointment this may have caused.”

Crucially, Starbucks didn’t confirm whether any more Bearista cups would be put into production to meet demand; however, it did tease that there would be 'more exciting merchandise coming this holiday season'.

Every year, Starbucks is well known for launching themed collections, with cold cups, coasters, and travel cups having ascertained a global following, with many items reaching well into the $100s on the second-hand market.

As well as its holiday collection, menu items such as the Sugar Cookie and Iced Gingerbread Chai have also hit stores.