Wes Streeting says he will not back down in his criticism of the NHS, after the BBC revealed there was growing unease in the service about the “broken” NHS messaging from government.
England’s health secretary told the Labour Party conference that not acknowledging the problems in the NHS would result in “killing it with kindness”.
His comments came after senior sources in the health service said they believe some of the claims have gone too far – and may result in patients being put off seeking help and causing lasting damage to staff morale.
In recent weeks, the government has claimed cancer is a “death sentence” because of NHS failings, while maternity services “shame” the nation.
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Streeting told delegates in Liverpool: “I know the doctor’s diagnosis can sometimes be hard to hear.
“But if you don’t have an accurate diagnosis, you won’t provide the correct prescription.
“And when you put protecting the reputation of the NHS above protecting patients, you’re not helping the NHS, you’re killing it with kindness.
“I won’t back down. The NHS is broken, but it’s not beaten, and together we will turn it around,” Mr Streeting said.
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He went on to criticise the NHS for overseeing the decline of services, and said recovery would only come with reform, promising the forthcoming 10-year plan would create a “world-class” service for all.
Streeting’s speech came after senior people in the health service, as well as officials within NHS England, spoke to the BBC about the approach being taken by Labour.
One hospital leader told the BBC: “We understand the politics of what the government is doing – they feel they need to establish in the public’s mind what a difficult inheritance they have been given.
“It’s something the Tories did very effectively in 2010, and even back in 1979, over the winter of discontent.
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“But there’s an increasing nervousness that if it continues much longer it could spook patients, and make it really difficult to raise staff morale. Hope is important.”
Similar views are being expressed privately at NHS England. Sources there said officials had made the government aware of its concerns about the messaging, and is monitoring the impact it is having on patients coming forward for check-ups and appointments.
“We are not seeing anything in the figures to suggest it’s having an impact, but we are keeping a close eye on it,” one source said.
Another hospital leader said: “If the government isn’t careful, it will cause lasting damage. Yes, we know there are many problems, but there is also lots of great care out there that is not being recognised.
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“We need to see a shift – the cancer death sentence phrasing strikes completely the wrong tone.”
Streeting first made the broken claim on the day he was appointed health secretary on 5 July – and it is a phrase he and others in government have used repeatedly since.
In both cases, it was suggested Lord Darzi’s report found cancer was “more likely to be a death sentence for NHS patients than those in other countries”.
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Lord Darzi did not use the phrase “death sentence” in his report, although he did point out the UK had higher cancer mortality rates. Lord Darzi has been approached for comment, but is yet to respond.
When asked for a response to the language, Cancer Research UK pointed the BBC to data showing that one in two people diagnosed with cancer now survive at least 10 years.
Sir Julian Hartley, of NHS Providers, which represents health leaders, said it was important to recognise what the NHS was doing well and the efforts of staff who were working “flat out”.
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“There’s a lot to be proud of despite ongoing concerns and difficulties,” he added.
Thea Stein, chief executive of the Nuffield Trust think tank, who was running an NHS trust until last year, said those working in the NHS recognised the service was struggling and there was a “power” in having problems talked about openly.
But she added: “At the same time language is important. The problem with the phrase ‘broken’ is that people may think something that is broken needs to be thrown away.”
She said she feared that could have an impact on patients, staff and young people who are thinking about a career in the health service.
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“It is important that the government now puts even more emphasis on repair, rebuilding and hope, alongside the ‘broken’ message,” she said.
Greenpeace and Uplift have launched legal challenges over drilling in the North Sea
A legal challenge over the decision to give consent to the UK’s largest untapped oil field has been given the go-ahead by the Court of Session.
Greenpeace and Uplift jointly brought judicial reviews to stop the development of Rosebank oil field and the Jackdaw gas field.
The environment groups say that when consent was granted for the fields off Shetland and Aberdeen, the impact of emissions caused by burning extracted oil and gas was “unlawfully ignored” by regulators.
If the challenge is successful, operators would have to resubmit environmental assessments for approval before drilling can begin.
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The cases will heard by the Court of Session in Edinburgh on 12 November.
Uplift accused regulators of “failing to be transparent” in granting the licences and said Rosebank would damage the sea life in the North Sea.
Tessa Khan, climate lawyer and executive director of Uplift, said: “Rosebank is a bad deal for Britain so it’s a relief that the arguments against it will now get a fair hearing in court.
“Now the government accepts the decision to approve the field was unlawful, the oil and gas companies that own Rosebank are alone in trying to drive this disastrous project through court.”
The Supreme Court’s decision could still be challenged by oil companies, but Greenpeace said the UK government’s unwillingness to defend the cases is “tacit acceptance” that the consent is unlawful.
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Greenpeace’s climate team leader, Mel Evans, said: “Both the government and the Supreme Court agree that you cannot ignore the emissions generated from burning fossil fuels.
“Equinor and Ithaca know this, and they know that the consents for these fields are unlawful.
“Despite this they are continuing to develop them during this judicial review, putting people, marine life, and our climate at further risk.”
Norwegian energy giant Equinor and British firm Ithaca Energy jointly own the Rosebank field.
They said it would create about 1,600 jobs during its construction and support about 450 UK-based jobs during its lifetime.
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Consent for drilling off the coast of Shetland was granted in September last year.
Shell’s proposals to develop Jackdaw, east of Aberdeen, were approved in 2022 after initially being rejected on environmental grounds.
Net-zero target
The Scottish government has said it has a “presumption against” new oil and gas exploration.
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However, First Minister John Swinney said in June that it would still be needed “for a period of time” to help the country meet its net-zero targets by 2045.
The UK government has pledged that oil and gas would play an important role in the economy “for decades to come” as the UK transitions to clean energy.
It is planning to consult later this year on its manifesto position not to issue new oil and gas licences to explore new fields.
The NSTA said it would not comment on a live case.
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A spokesperson for Equinor also declined to comment, but added they were continuing to “work closely with all relevant parties to progress the project”.
Petrol prices have fallen to their lowest level for three years, with the average price for a litre of unleaded costing about £1.35, the RAC has said.
Lower global oil prices and a stronger pound were the main reasons prices had fallen, the motoring group said.
The figure is considerably lower than in July 2022, when petrol prices hit a record high of almost £1.92 per litre when oil prices surged following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Simon Williams, fuel spokesman for the RAC, said petrol prices could fall further.
“We believe there is scope for pump prices to come down further in the next few weeks to reflect the lower wholesale costs retailers are paying when they buy fresh fuel stocks,” Mr Williams said.
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Depending on where drivers were filling up, he said people could be “paying as little as £1.26 for a litre of unleaded – making the cost of refuelling a typical family car come in at under £70”.
The average price of diesel is around £1.41 per litre which is also close to a three-year low, based on data from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).
The falling price of fuel will come as a boost to drivers, who have been hit hard in recent years by higher prices for all consumer goods.
The RAC has been critical of retailers, claiming that they have failed to drop prices as swiftly as they should have as wholesale costs have fallen.
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Concerns over fuel prices prompted the competition regulator, the CMA, to look into the sector.
But the Petrol Retailers Association (PRA), which represents independent forecourts, has argued its members’ margins have been “under pressure” due to higher labour and energy costs, and reduced sales.
The RAC said the reason for “tumbling” pump prices now was due to “a relatively low oil price” of about $75 per barrell due to lower global demand, “combined with a relatively strong pound” helped by inflation falling.
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With fuel traded in US dollars, a stronger pound means UK fuel retailers get more “bang for their buck” when buying in new stock on the wholesale market, the RAC said.
Fuel prices rose sharply amid fears of a global economic shock following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Russia is the third-largest oil exporter and some Western countries, decided to halt or restrict imports from the country in response to Russia’s actions. It meant demand for oil from other producers increased, leading to increased prices.
At one point Brent crude – the global benchmark for oil prices – jumped to $139 a barrel, the highest level for almost 14 years.
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The UK only imports about 6% of oil from Russia, so is not as dependent on Russia as other European countries are and has said it plans to phase it out. It is, however, affected by the global shifts in price.
SCAM victims tricked into sending money to fraudsters from their accounts will see compensation sliced under plans confirmed today.
Customers who unwittingly transfer cash to con artists had been due to receive reimbursement of up to £415,000 under new rules coming in days.
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Fraud victims will see compensation lowered to £85,000Credit: Alamy
But now payouts have been given a ceiling of £85,000 when rules take effect on October 7, the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) confirmed today.
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The change comes after a “lobbying campaign” from some firms in the payments industry,” according to Rocio Concha, director of policy and advocacy at consumer group Which?.
She added:“People don’t fall victim to scams because they’re careless, but because they’re ruthlessly manipulated.
“As the disastrous consequences of this decision for scam victims become apparent, the regulator must carefully monitor its impact and be ready to intervene with better protections for victims along with stronger financial incentives for banks and payments firms to tackle fraud.”
Fraud is broadly split into authorised and unauthorised.
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People who are tricked willingly giving cash or providing consent to fake payments are classed as authorised fraud.
Victims were tricked into giving away £459.7m through authorised push payment (APP) fraud, according to financial figures from industry body UK Finance.
Purchase scams are the biggest driver of authorised fraud with people buying in advance for bogus goods or fake services that never materialise, usually through social sites such as Facebook.
Unauthorised fraud, on the other hand, is where criminals typically steal financial information to take out products in victims’ names.
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Victims of APP fraud currently receive 62% of cash back after being scammed compared to 98% of unauthorised targets.
A woman has told how she lost £19,700 after falling for an elaborate scam while hunting for a studio flat
The new rules were part of efforts to tackle this issue to make sure victims are fairly reimbursed.
Up until now, banks have just signed up to a voluntary reimbursement code.
In a statement the PSR said new requirements will provide “world-leading protections” to people who fall victim to scams.
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The body added: “This was a carefully balanced decision – which provides significant protection to fraud victims and strikes an appropriate balance having regard to the PSR’s innovation and competition objectives and making sure that payment systems work well for everyone.”
More than 99% of APP claims will be covered by the £85,000 reimbursement cap, according to the PSR.
A final policy statement to explain the reasoning for the decision is due to be published next week.
The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) revealed that scam-related complaints have recently reached their highest level since at least early 2018.
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In the first quarter of this financial year (April 1 to June 30), consumers lodged 8,734 gripes about fraud and scams.
More than half were in related to authorised push payment scams.
HOW TO PROTECT AGAINST SCAMMERS
More than three quarters of authorised fraud starts online.
When handing over cash for goods or services found online that you haven’t yet received you should be extra vigilant for scams.
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Fraudsters often use popular events such as the recently announced Oasis concerts, to prey on victims.
Buy from reputable sources and sites to protect yourself.
Alarm bells should be ringing if prices are too good to be true.
Take the time to carry out extra checks on unknown sources.
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Fraud cases that originate through phone calls make up fewer cases but losses are often far larger. These are typically when criminals impersonate banks or other trusted sources.
It’s ok to reject, refuse or ignore requests for cash. Usually it is criminals that will try to pressure or rush you into payments.
If you are in doubt over a caller’s identity, call a trusted company or organisation phone number to check.
How to protect yourself from scams
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BY keeping these tips in mind, you can avoid getting caught up in a scam:
Firstly, remember that if something seems too good to be true, it normally is.
Check brands are “verified” on Facebook and Twitter pages – this means the company will have a blue tick on its profile.
Look for grammatical and spelling errors; fraudsters are notoriously bad at writing proper English. If you receive a message from a “friend” informing you of a freebie, consider whether it’s written in your friend’s normal style.
If you’re invited to click on a URL, hover over the link to see the address it will take you to – does it look genuine?
To be on the really safe side, don’t click on unsolicited links in messages, even if they appear to come from a trusted contact.
Be careful when opening email attachments too. Fraudsters are increasingly attaching files, usually PDFs or spreadsheets, which contain dangerous malware.
If you receive a suspicious message then report it to the company, block the sender and delete it.
If you think you’ve fallen for a scam, report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or use its online fraud reporting tool.
AS dawn broke and the rave neared its climax, the music stopped and festival goers gazed up at what they thought was a firework display in the sky.
But within moments they realised to their horror that the bright lights overhead were not part of the entertainment – but rockets which signalled the start of a brutal massacre.
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Ziv survived, but her fiance Eliya Cohen is still missing after almost a yearCredit: Supplied
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Armed Palestinian militants stormed the Supernova music festival at dawnCredit: AFP
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Revellers enjoyed a night of music before the horror attackCredit: BBC
Miraculously Ziv Abud survived the bloodbath – hidden from Hamas gunmen beneath a pile of dead bodies and dismembered body parts.
The atrocity on 7 October 2023 left 364 people murdered and 44 others taken hostage.
That day was the start of one of the most deadly massacres in the history of the bloody Middle East conflict.
In the confusion and chaos that followed, terrified partygoers sheltered under stages, in fridges, in toilets, bushes, cars and even a skip full of rubbish.
They witnessed widespread slaughter ‘like Squid Game‘ as dozens of hostages were seized.
Ziv, 26, told The Sun of her harrowing ordeal ahead of a new documentary We Will Dance Again: Surviving October 7 airing on BBC1 tomorrow.
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She attended the festival with her fiance Eliya Cohen, nephew Amit and his girlfriend Karin – today, she is the only one of their group left alive.
“Eliya and I had never been apart since the say we met, now I fall asleep in tears and wake up in tears every day,” she said.
The couple danced joyfully with their friends all night but when the music stopped, screeching to an abrupt halt at around 6am, they quickly realised something was very wrong.
Moment Hamas terrorists shoot dead festivalgoers at point-blank range
“Eliya is a music producer so it was very normal for us to spend the weekend at a festival, but when we arrived I thought, ‘Wow this is the biggest music festival I have seen in Israel for five years,’” she recalls.
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“As it started to get light the music stopped and we were all trying to figure out what was happening.
“Everyone was looking up at the sky, people thought it was fireworks and so at first I was very calm, but then I realised they were rockets and we had about 15 seconds before they fell.
“That was the moment I panicked.
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An armed Palestinian militant grabbed a festival goer attempting to flee the sceneCredit: AFP
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A deliberately blurred pic shows bodies piled up in a tent following the slaughterCredit: Twitter/@Israel
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Hundreds of vehicles were burnt out during the attackCredit: EPA
“Then we saw a man dressed in black running towards us firing an automatic weapon screaming, ‘Either you run now and survive or you stay here and it’s over for you.’
“There were a lot of police officers but they all told us to do something different so I got more panicked because the police are supposed to save us.
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“We tried to leave.
“We managed to get inside our car and out of the site on to the road, but there was a lot of traffic.
“We drove for six minutes and then we got a phone call from Eliya’s cousin, she told us that someone was shooting up ahead.
“She told us to get off the road.
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Either you run now and survive or you stay here and it’s over for you.
Ziv Abud
“We thought maybe they were shooting from the border, we didn’t realise there were terrorists inside Israel.
“We saw a small shelter at the side of the road, without doors or anything, we were the first in there but more and more people came.
“We could not leave because there were terrorists outside with guns and grenades.”
Being stuck right at the back of the shelter would ultimately save Ziv’s life when terrorists started bombing.
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She went on: “There was one Muslim guy outside trying to save himself but instead they tortured him for 10 minutes.
“We heard him scream and yell and cry, then we heard a shot, and then silence.
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Ziv continues to campaign for the release of her fiance
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Ziv is determined to bring Eliya home aliveCredit: BBC
“Then the first grenade was thrown inside the shelter.”
Terrorists threw seven live hand grenades but a British artist living in Jerusalem called Aner bravely picked them all up and hurled them back out to explode on the road.
But the hero was killed when the eighth grenade exploded in his hand.
Then an American man called Hersh Goldberg-Polin, sheltering with them, was grabbed by militia, thrown into a pick-up truck and taken as a hostage into Gaza.
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He was one of six hostages whose bodies were discovered by Israeli troops in a tunnel under Rafah in August – murdered after more than 300 days in captivity.
This is the feeling of dying.
Ziv Abud
“When the grenade exploded inside the shelter that was the most terrible moment,” Ziv continued.
“All the people fell back on me, there was a lot of screaming, a lot of crying.
“Then I heard Eliya for the first time, he was screaming and told me his leg was injured – he grabbed my hand so hard it was painful.
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“I couldn’t feel my body because there were so many bodies piled on top of me and I thought to myself, ‘I’m dying – this is the feeling of dying’.”
At that point Ziv lost consciousness for around three hours – and avoided being kidnapped as the gunmen assumed she was already dead.
Astonishingly, she woke up at around 11am.
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Shoes of victims killed during Hamas’ attack on the Nova Music Festival are on displayCredit: AP
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Israeli soldiers searched the site in the aftermath of the attackCredit: AFP
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Hundreds of hostages snatched from the festival are still missingCredit: Polaris
But to her horror she was trapped under a pile of dismembered body parts.
“I realised I was alive but under a lot of bodies and two of them were Karin and Amit,” sobbed Ziv.
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“They were murdered inside the shelter.
“I was trying to figure out where Eliya was because I couldn’t see him, I tried to find his shoes or shirt, or bag or wallet.
“I found nothing and an hour later one of the survivors said the terrorists had grabbed people who were still alive.”
“They took him, I realised they had taken Eliya.”
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When all the hostages are home then I can find a place to think about what happened.
Ziv
Finally, at around 3pm, Ziv was rescued.
“The guy who came in was the father of one of the people that was inside, he had called his dad,” she said.
“By the time he got there his son was murdered.
“But he saved us anyway.
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“When we got to the hospital I saw pictures from Gaza Now channel, they were showing pictures of Eliya and the headline was ‘Israeli man kidnapped to Gaza.’
“Since then we have heard nothing.
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Ben Sadeh and Moran Caspi hid in bushesCredit: BBC
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Noam Ben David hid in a skip full of rubbishCredit: BBC
“We just have that picture from the 7th of October showing he was alive inside Gaza.
“I don’t have a message for the terrorists, I don’t talk with terrorists and I try not to think about that day because it makes me very angry.
“I lost a lot of friends that day and I need to be focused and stay strong for the fight to bring Eliya home.
“When all the hostages are home then I can find a place to think about what happened.”
The attack provoked Israel to launch what has become a catastrophic siege, bombardment and invasion of the Gaza Strip.
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The harrowing accounts from Nova Festival are retold in the BBC documentary We Will Dance Again: Surviving October 7th, which airs on Thursday.
It is a shocking account of the assault on party goers with a minute-by-minute account of the day.
The deeply moving testimony of survivors is interspersed with unseen CCTV, mobile phone and car dashcam footage, as well as shocking GoPro footage from Hamas’ own live stream and calls to emergency services.
The film shares the very telling personal stories of those who lived, those taken hostage and those who died – as confusion turned into fear, and then chaos when Hamas arrived and began to slaughter anyone in sight.
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We Will Dance Again: Surviving October 7th, which airs on Thursday.
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A view of festival goers destroyed vehiclesCredit: Reuters
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Israeli soldiers searched the site for remains for burialCredit: Getty
Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.
As the leaders from around the world gather in New York this week to speak at the annual UN General Assembly, Jasmine Yazid is gearing up to host her own version in Washington early next year.
She is secretary-general of the North American Invitational Model United Nations (NAIMUN), created at Georgetown University in 1963, less than 20 years after the UN itself was founded. Her team is bracing for a record 3,300 high school students role-playing the negotiations between governments on contested international issues.
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“You learn to completely remove yourself and understand someone else’s perspective,” she says. “A lot of the countries the students represent as delegates are ones they have never been to, heard of or agree with. Yet they are able to represent these views wherever they are coming from.”
Model UN is one of an expanding set of programmes attracting growing participation in the US and beyond, as educators looks for ways to engage students with current affairs. It also involves learning to be civil even when views strongly diverge.
At a time of rising polarisation, “no platforming” and a preference for slogans over interacting directly and empathetically with people who hold different opinions, the programme offers scope to ease tensions intensified by the explosion in social media use and young people’s isolation during Covid.
“You hold the duty of representing that country or those ideas you are allocated, and it also teaches you how to say things in a non-offensive and sensitive way,” says Lucille Applegate, secretary-general of the Secondary Schools’ United Nations Symposium, a Model UN run for more than 30 years by students at Montreal’s McGill University.
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Many teachers say that young people’s concern about causing offence (or being criticised for their own views) has sharply damped discussion of sensitive topics. That frustration leads to periodic explosions such as the Gaza protests on university campuses and risks feeding into the divisive US presidential election and other polarising moments around the globe.
Model UN is not alone. “We the People”, organised by the Center for Civic Education, brings together competing teams of high school students to learn about the constitution through simulated congressional hearings. The National High School Ethics Bowl asks teams to discuss ethical dilemmas, awarding points partly for engaging respectfully and supportively with opponents.
The sharp uptick in programmes seeking to provide ways to foster tolerance and debate includes a jump in interest for the Constructive Dialogue Institute, which has programmes at 88 universities across the US. In schools, meanwhile, iCivics is among a number of non-profit groups to launch a fresh range of non-partisan lesson plans and games to help students understand electoral politics and tackle disinformation.
The more intensive, immersive competitions like Model UN have limitations — not least the extensive time commitment and the travel costs. Jie Xin Ching, executive director of Georgetown’s NAIMUN, concedes that most participants are drawn from the east and west coasts, with far less representation from rural and continental states despite scholarships and active outreach and promotion. “It’s seen as elite and wealthy.”
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Peter Cowhey, dean emeritus at the School of Global Policy and Strategy of the University of California San Diego (and a secretary-general of NAIMUN in the 1960s), adds that many participants were self-selected, with a pre-existing interest in a career in international affairs.
But he recalls many high school students arriving “with a glaze in their eyes that the UN was a place where important things happened, and very little realistic concept about how it really operated. They saw that they would engage in tortuous diplomatic discussions that often leave it in deadlock with worthy pledges that do not come to fruition.”
His own experiences convinced him to abandon aspirations to work in the state department and opt for an academic career. But for all their downsides, these programmes deserve a place in efforts to combat the current climate of polarisation.
A SHOPPER has revealed a cheap hack for making Starbucks at home for a fraction of the price using an unexpected item.
The coffee lover shared their secret Lidl alternative to buying a current Starbucks fan-favourite that can be made at home.
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Lidl shoppers are obsessed with the Italiamo pistachio cream spread selling for £2.99
The product is the Italiamo pistachio spread, which can be bought in Lidl for £2.99.
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The cream spread has become a viral sensation, made up of 45% pistachio nuts and available to buy in 190g jars.
It comes as people are raving about the latest pistachio addition to the 2024 winter Starbucks menu.
The Iced White Chocolate & Pistachio Oat Shaken Espresso is priced at £4.35 for a tall size.
One creative shopper took to the Couponing and Bargains UK Facebook group chat to share their original recipe: “Off the back of the Lidl pistachio spread hype… I bring you Starbucks pistachio latte dupe!”
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She explained that you need to “use half a teaspoon (or more if you want stronger flavour) of spread, then pour in your hot milk, stir, and add coffee.
“I added brown sugar syrup to enhance the sweetness of the pistachio but it’s just as good on its own!”
Members reacted to the post saying they “will be trying this” and that it was a “game changer”.
The recipe requires just one teaspoon of spread (roughly 15g), making 13 homemade luxury coffees per jar – that is 23p a cup.
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This means you could save £2.76 on buying a Starbucks coffee, making a saving of 92%.
I never drank Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte until today – I still think it’s too early but here’s my verdict
Prices do vary at the coffee chain from site to site.
However, no matter where you live you will be making a considerable saving.
Members also took the chance to share their own DIY ideas, offering cheesecake and pastry recipes, or recommending buyers try adding the spread to porridge.
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Other pistachio spreads are available online, but if buying from Ocado, its Borna Foods smooth pistachio butter would set you back £8.50.
It always pays to compare prices so you know you’re getting the best deal.
We couldn’t find a similar product anywhere online at other supermarket retailers.
To find the Lidl closest to you, or see whether the product is available in your local store, use the Store Locator tool on the supermarket’s website.
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Prices can also vary day to day and by what deals are on at the time, plus remember you might pay for delivery if you’re ordering online.
Making coffees at home is always a cheaper alternative, and can save you huge cash over time.
According to Wholesale Coffee Co, Brits spend on average £5.50 per week on coffee, which is £286 a year.
People who bought Starbucks coffee 3 times a week would spend approximately £51 a month, which is a whopping £612 across the year.
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By spending a little more on your favourite home coffee ingredients, you could satisfy the same cravings and have your pockets feeling fuller in no time.
5 things you didn’t know about Starbucks
The name was inspired by a book
Co-founders Gordon Bowker, Jerry Baldwin, and Zev Siegl opened the first Starbucks in Seattle on March 30, 1971. The name was inspired by author Herman Melville’s famous novel, Moby-Dick – Starbuck was the name of the first mate on the ship, the Pequod.
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It has its own coffee farm
Purchased in 2013, Hacienda Alsacia is a 240-hectare coffee farm located in Costa Rica. Customers can’t visit, but they can take a virtual tour.
Different apron colours
Did you ever notice some of the Starbucks staff wearing different colour aprons? Green, Black, Red and there’s also a few special editions.
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Before there were Sharpie pens
Starbucks is known for writing your name on your drink cup, but before this idea came to fruition, the position of a cup on the bar would tell the barista how to make the beverage. Upside down for decaf!
Millions of fans, millions of drinks
US Starbucks stores will sell around 5 million drinks daily in 2024, and the top-selling of which is currently Caramel Macchiato.
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Other ways to save money on coffee
Join Costa Club
If you become a Costa Club member, you can access free drinks faster by getting a free drink every 5 purchases.
Non-Costa Club members get a free drink every 10 coffees bought.
But remember – incentives such as these are made to encourage buyers to spend more money, so don’t use it as a reason to splash more cash on hot drinks than you usually would.
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Tesco Clubcard Scheme
Tesco’s Clubcard holders can get cheaper prices on over 8,000 items thanks to Clubcard Prices, such as the Costa Barista Creations sachets which are reduced to £1.75.
With this deal, you can make a range of Costa items from home, such as the Salted Caramel, Maple Hazel and Gingerbread Latte.
Morrison’s Cafe
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There are a range of deals in Morrison’s cafes which means you can enjoy coffee dates for a reduced price.
It offers a Cake and a Hot Drink for the price of £4, and customers can also enjoy free refills on self serve drinks.
The conditions of this deal varies between store and location.
Other supermarkets such as Sainsbury’s and Asda offer kids to eat for £1, and in Tesco kids can eat free if bought alongside an adult purchase.
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To find out the conditions of your local supermarket cafe, visit their website.
Additional vouchers can also be accessed through Clubcard and Nectar voucher schemes, or on websites such as Groupon.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.
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