Workers at a US retail giant have been sacked for using their status to buy limited edition Stanley mugs, according to reports.
Target’s pink “quencher” cup has taken the world by storm since its launch on January 10 with the item selling out and stampedes at several stores.
The company collaborated with Starbucks and manufacturer Stanley for the $50 (£39) version of the popular flask with a straw.
Videos of customers fighting over the must-have colour have gone viral on social media as the craze swept America.
Resellers are even touting them for as much as $300 (£236) on eBay.
Araceli Bernal, who had worked at Target in Delaware for just under two years, told Business Insider she bought one of the quenchers from a barista at the store who set them aside.
Days later, she was dismissed following a two-day internal investigation.
She said: “I honestly didn’t think I was going to get fired because I didn’t think it was that big of a deal.”
Ms Bernal told the newspaper several other co-workers were dismissed as well, some of whom have shared their experiences on social media.
Target prohibits employees from using their status as employees “to gain an unfair advantage over guests when it comes to purchasing merchandise”, according to a company handbook.
It adds employees cannot buy merchandise or items that are promotional or in high demand.
Ms Bernal told reporters she did not realise the barista may have set the quenchers aside for purchase.
The #stanleycup hashtag has had more than seven billion views worldwide, and the craze has led to a number of attempts at law-breaking.
One popular recent video showed a man jumping across a Starbucks counter in an effort to steal the hot pink limited edition.
The reusable cups were first invented in 1913 by William Stanley Junior and marketed as “unbreakable”. They became popular two years ago among eco-friendly, health conscious, often teenage Tiktokers.
On Friday, a 23-year-old woman was arrested for stealing a carload of Stanley cups from a California store.
The unidentified thief snatched 65 mugs worth $2,500 (£1,973) in total.
Roseville police responded after employees said they saw the young woman take a shopping trolley full of the precious water bottles, wheeled them out without paying and drove off in a red sedan, KABC-TV reported.
Local police - who pulled the woman over on a nearby highway - posted on Facebook: “While Stanley quenchers are all the rage, we strongly advise against turning to crime to fulfil your hydration habits.”
Target did not respond to a Standard request for comment.
