Melbourne coffee roaster panned for offering free rapid antigen tests to ‘VIP’ customers

Melbourne coffee roaster, St Ali, has been criticised online for offering two free rapid antigen tests with purchase orders over $159.99.

In a text message sent out to "special VIP customers," St Ali offered two free rapid antigen tests if customers bought $159.99 worth of coffee or merchandise from their online store.

"We've been fortunate to secure a limited number of Rapid Antigen Tests for our staff, families and friends. As a special VIP customer, we'd like to extend these to you too," they said in the text.

The coffee roasters were also offering pulse oximeters, hand sanitiser, and contactless thermometers for sale via their website, alongside bags of coffee, filters and Champagne.

But the products seem to have been taken down after an online backlash on both Twitter and Reddit following the release of the initial text messages.

St Ali has been contacted for comment.

The roasters faced a fierce backlash to the text message, amid national shortages of rapid antigen tests and reports of price gouging and exploitation by some businesses, and have since retracted the offer.