星巴克被批在華"暴利坑人"

Starbucks has come under fire from Chinese state media for charging more for its coffee in China than in other countries, making it the latest western company to face scrutiny over its Chinese pricing strategy, writes Simon Rabinovitch in Shanghai.

星巴克(Starbucks)在中國官方媒體上挨批，被指在中國以高於其他國家的價格售賣咖啡。該公司由此成爲最新一家因在華定價戰略而受到密切關注的西方企業。

Starbucks, the biggest coffee chain by revenues, has expanded from fewer than 400 stores in China in 2010 to nearly 1,000 and has said the country is likely to overtake Canada as its second-biggest market next year.

按營收計算爲全球最大咖啡連鎖店的星巴克，近年來在中國快速擴張，從2010年的不到400家門店增至目前的近1000家。據該公司介紹，明年中國很可能超越加拿大，成爲其第二大市場。

But China Central Television, the official state broadcaster, has accused it of swindling consumers by charging about a third more than it does in the US. Its report, aired on Sunday, followed critiques of Starbucks in Chinese newspapers over the past week.

但是，官方的中國中央電視臺(CCTV)指控星巴克在華暴利坑人，咖啡價格比美國高出大約三分之一。上週日央視播出這則報道之前，中國報紙在過去一週也紛紛批評星巴克。

Foreign companies from Apple to Nestlé have faced pressure in China from state media and regulators in recent months to cut prices or improve customer service. With China an increasingly important market, most have been quick to address the concerns.

近幾個月來，從蘋果(Apple)到雀巢(Nestlé)，許多在華經營的外企都受到官方媒體以及監管機構的壓力，要求它們降低價格或改進客戶服務。鑑於中國市場越來越重要，多數企業很快做出迴應，應對各種關切。

It is unclear in the case of Starbucks whether the media attacks have arisen independently and might fade away, or whether they could be a prelude to official action against the company.

就星巴克的情況而言，尚不清楚媒體的攻擊是獨立出爐、可能消退的，還是官方對該公司採取行動的前奏。

CCTV reported that a medium-sized latte cost Rmb27 ($4.43) in China compared with Rmb19.98 in Chicago, Rmb14.6 in Mumbai and Rmb24.25 in London.

央視報道稱，星巴克一份中杯拿鐵的售價在中國達到27元人民幣（合4.43美元），高於芝加哥的19.98元人民幣、孟買的14.6元人民幣和倫敦的24.25元人民幣。

It also noted that Starbucks appeared to have much fatter margins in China. In the fiscal quarter ending June 30, Starbucks reported a 36 per cent operating margin in Asia during the quarter to June 30; that compares with 22 per cent in the Americas and 3 per cent in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

報道還稱，星巴克在中國的利潤率似乎要高得多。在截至6月30日的財季，星巴克報告亞洲營運利潤率達到36%，高於美洲的22%以及歐洲、中東和非洲的3%。

Starbucks responded that its pricing strategy was based on local market costs, including infrastructure investment, real estate and labour. It also added that its Asia-Pacific profit margin was for 14 countries, not just China.

星巴克迴應稱，其定價戰略基於當地市場成本，包括基建投資、房地產和勞動力。它還補充稱，其亞太區利潤率涵蓋14個國家，並不只是中國。

Wang Zhengdong, director of the Coffee Association of Shanghai, told CCTV that the chain had been able to charge high prices mainly because of local consumers’ “blind faith in Starbucks and other western brands”.

上海市食品協會咖啡專業委員會(Coffee Association of Shanghai)會長王振東對央視表示，這家連鎖店之所以能夠收取較高價格，主要是因爲中國消費者盲目相信星巴克和其他西方品牌。

The topic was widely discussed on Sina Weibo, China’s Twitter-like website. But many comments on the story criticised CCTV for dwelling on something seen as an indulgence rather than a daily necessity in China.

這個話題在類似於Twitter的新浪微博(Sina Weibo)上得到廣泛討論。但有關這則報道的很多評論批評央視把矛頭對準一種小資享受，而不是中國的日常必需品。