Julian Quintart Under Fire for 'Excessive Packaging' Claim Using Stolen Photo; Cafe Owner Demands Apology
Belgian broadcaster Julian Quintart is facing backlash after accusing a cafe of 'excessive packaging' based on a photo that was not his own.
Quintart recently posted a story on his social media featuring a cafe's drink packaging, questioning the necessity of what he perceived as triple-layered cups. He wrote, "Are they now using triple cups? Why do they do this? Excessive packaging upon excessive packaging. I hope the owners will think about this just once more."
The accompanying photo showed a takeout drink with three layers of packaging. Quintart, who is also an environmental activist, highlighted this as wasteful. However, the cafe owner soon responded on an online community, explaining the reason behind the triple packaging and requesting the removal of the post and a public apology.
The owner clarified that the flake-ice used melts quickly, necessitating the double-walled cups to maintain drink quality and prevent dilution. They also explained that initial, simpler packaging methods were changed due to customer complaints about cold hands and inconvenience.
It was later revealed that the photo Quintart used was not his own but taken from someone else's post. This discovery intensified criticism against him. Quintart has since deleted the post but has yet to issue an apology.
Netizens expressed disappointment, with comments such as, "If he misunderstood, shouldn't he apologize?" "It's too much for a cafe that puts in so much effort," and "His image was good, but this is a total letdown."
Julian Quintart, a Belgian television personality, gained recognition in South Korea through the JTBC variety show 'Non-Summit.' He has consistently shown a strong commitment to environmental protection, actively participating in various related campaigns and initiatives. He is slated to receive an award from the Ministry of Environment in 2025 and was a recipient of the Korean Green Climate Award for citizens in 2023.