Narvesen free coffee promotion sparks debate over staff workload
Retail chain Narvesen has promised a free large coffee to customers if the cashier fails to offer a hot drink before stating the total. Some social media users criticise it as an extra burden on sales staff.
The Narvesen retail chain, which runs kiosks and shops in Latvia, has launched a new initiative: a customer gets a free L-size coffee if the cashier does not offer a hot drink before naming the purchase total. In its announcement, the company presents it as a chance to "catch" employees who forget to make the offer. The idea has triggered a debate on social media, where some users argue it adds duties for already overworked sales staff.
Sympathy for employees
On social media, a user named Rūta wrote that she feels sorry for Narvesen sales staff, who already have to remember several tasks, including asking for loyalty cards. In her view, a mandatory drink offer complicates things further.
Inga, who often shops at the Narvesen in Riga's bus station, says she is happy with the staff there. She notes that, given the number of people passing through, offering a drink to everyone would be very hard, and she herself never asks for a drink if it is not offered. Nadīna says she once worked at a Narvesen kiosk and the experience was so unpleasant that she does not want to work there again.
Pushy selling may put customers off
Another woman argues that such insistent upselling could have the opposite effect, leading people to buy coffee elsewhere. She calls the approach a "1990s move" and hopes the company will cancel it. Elīna, meanwhile, asks who ultimately covers the cost of the free coffee if an employee forgets to offer it.
Supporters of the idea
Not everyone sees a problem. Anita notes that offering additional products is common practice in retail. Gerda believes the key question is whether the cost of the free coffees is deducted from employees' pay; if it is not, she thinks the situation is not so bad.
The news portal LA.LV previously reported on residents' observations that the number of Narvesen kiosks in Latvia is shrinking. The company then explained that each outlet is assessed individually and that network changes are tied to optimisation.
