COST OF LIVING/Starbucks Taiwan to raise price of some items from Wednesday

Taipei, Feb. 11 (CNA) Starbucks has announced that from Wednesday it will hike the prices of some products due to the rising cost of raw materials, which it said have been impacted by abnormal climate conditions and other global factors.

The announcement was published on the company's Facebook page in the early hours of Tuesday. It did not specify which items would be affected or the specific amounts.

However, it did say that its in-store refill discount -- a promotion that offers customers a reduced price on refills of the same beverage during the same sitting -- will be increased from 30 to 50 percent across all locations to show its appreciation for customer support.

When asked about the adjustments, Starbucks told CNA that its freshly brewed espresso and daily brewed coffee will increase by NT$5 (US$0.15), while tea-based beverages and Frappuccinos will rise by NT$10.

Affected espresso beverages include Americano, latte and caramel macchiato, while the daily brewed coffee category includes cold brew and nitro cold brew, Starbucks said.