Have you ever been offered a freebie just for leaving a glowing review? If so, you’re not alone.
Recently, one Costa Coffee branch found itself under fire for promising customers free drinks in exchange for positive feedback — and people aren’t happy about it.
Costa Coffee Branch Offers Free Drinks for Top Reviews
At the Potters Bar Costa Coffee in Hertfordshire, a sign appeared on the counter offering customers “any medium size drink for free” if they showed proof they’d given the store a 9 or 10 rating in a feedback email.
The notice read:
“Get your free coffee. If you receive an email saying ‘how was your visit at Costa?’ Please give us the 9-10 rating there.
Take the screenshot of that and bring back to us and you will get any medium size drink for free. Thank you in advance.”
It wasn’t clear if these reviews were just for internal use or posted online, but either way, the offer raised eyebrows — and concerns about whether this breaks consumer laws.
Social Media Reacts and Costa Responds
Customers quickly took to social media to share their frustration.
One visitor even snapped a picture of the sign and posted it on X (formerly Twitter), asking:
“Dear Costa Coffee, love to hear your thoughts on this.
Surely it makes a total mockery of your reviews.”
Costa’s official account replied with a lighthearted tone:
“Ooh that’s quite cheeky, drop us a DM so we can chase this up Mark?”
The sign has since been removed, and Costa confirmed it was displayed without approval and doesn’t represent company policy.
New Laws Crack Down on Fake Reviews
This incident comes just months after the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 came into force.
The law makes it illegal to post “fake reviews,” defined as feedback that pretends to be a genuine customer experience but isn’t.
Experts warn that offering rewards for positive reviews crosses the line.
Experts Weigh In on Review Incentives
Consumer advocate Martyn James told The Telegraph that rewarding positive reviews is “shameless” and “forbidden.”
He explained:
“Reviews should be given freely, without incentive or manipulation.
If your service is good, you don’t need to bribe anyone to do it.”
Consumer law solicitor Dr Jennifer Obaseki added that while no one is likely to sue over a “lost coffee opportunity,” watchdogs frown on promotions that try to buy positive feedback.
Under the new law, companies found guilty could face fines of up to £300,000 or 10% of their global turnover — a serious risk for big brands.
Costa Coffee Issues Apology and Removes Sign
A spokesperson for Costa Coffee told the Daily Mail:
“We are aware of a sign that was displayed in one of our franchise stores, which was put up without approval and does not reflect company policy.
As soon as we became aware of the sign, we asked the store to remove it, which they have done.”
If you’ve ever been offered a reward for a review, or noticed similar promotions at other stores, it’s worth thinking twice about how genuine those reviews really are.
After all, the whole point of feedback is to be honest — not bought.
