Starbucks spent $240,000 lobbying in first quarter

WASHINGTON—Starbucks Corp., the world's largest coffee retailer, spent $240,000 in the first quarter to lobby on trade, tax, food labeling and other issues, according to a disclosure report filed by the company.

The Seattle-based company lobbied Congress and several federal agencies in the January-to-March period seeking the reduction of import duties in U.S. trade agreements with various countries including Panama, Peru, Colombia, South Korea and Malaysia.

Starbucks also lobbied on the permanent extension of the welfare-to-work tax credit and on food labeling provisions in legislation, according to the report it filed April 21 with the clerk's office in the House of Representatives.

Lobbyists are required to disclose activities that could influence members of the executive and legislative branches, under a federal law enacted in 1995.