Are Boycotts Really Effective?
By Writers Studio
Mar/Apr 2024
Growing up as a teenager in a Midwestern suburb where 8 out of 10 residents are white, it’s easy to go through your day preoccupied with your next biology quiz, wondering if you’ll make the varsity basketball team, and, most importantly, trying to score Taylor Swift concert tickets. Yet, the Israeli war on Gaza has penetrated even this Middle America, Gen-Z world.
Our high school doesn’t have any posters about the war, and history teachers scrupulously go out of their way to never mention either Israel or Palestine. I don’t see any protesters urging the boycott of the local outlet of the behemoth coffee chain Starbucks located just a few blocks away. Instead, I hear about the war in the ever-present universe of social media that has become the home where we adolescents spend most of our time and only reluctantly leave when forced to do homework or join our parents for dinner.
The hashtags #BoycottStarbucks and #BoycottMcDonalds are everywhere, but how many are aware of just how much weight and pain these words hold? How effective are these economic boycotts and movements that galvanize us to stop using products made by certain companies?
What is BDS?
Formally launched in 2005, BDS — Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions — is a pro-Palestinian movement, an idea that encourages using nonviolent means to promote Palestinian rights. Its goal is to free the people under Zionist occupation. “Inspired by the South African anti-apartheid movement, the BDS call urges action to pressure Israel to comply with international law…Boycotts involve withdrawing support from Israel’s apartheid regime, complicit Israeli sporting, cultural and academic institutions, and from all Israeli and international companies engaged in violations of Palestinian human rights” (bdsmovement.net).
A Call to Action
Jehad Abusalim lives in Washington D.C., but his family, including his brother with special needs, is trapped in Gaza amid raging bombs. Powerless to save them, he seeks the help and compassion of others. Abusalim has created a petition to save his brother. “As the situation escalates and danger looms closer to my family, I find myself in a state of desperation, turning to you, my community, for support,” he writes.
At press time, NPR reported that “the numbers that capture the state of Gaza after 100 days of war are staggering: Nearly 2 million displaced, thousands of homes destroyed and nearly 24,000 dead — 10,000 of them children.” It’s hard not to want to do something to stop the devastation, especially when seeing pictures and images of fallen, injured, maimed, and starving young children. The war has already lasted for more than 100 days and calls to join economic boycotts of companies that support Israel are rapidly increasing.
Financial Pressure
These boycotts are intended to put financial pressure on companies by discouraging customer spending on their items. The devastation caused by the 2023 bombardment has jump-started a push for people to stop patronizing companies, such as Starbucks, that are perceived as pro-Israel. Many companies have taken a stance on their support for either side. Some brands show their support openly with monetary and in-kind donations and messages on social media. Others find more indirect ways to pick a side.
L’Oreal, one of the companies allegedly supporting Israel, owns 36 brands, among them Maybelline New York, Ralph Lauren and Garnier. Estée Lauder, another perceived Israel supporter, owns brands such as Bobbi Brown, Clinique, MAC, and Too Faced, among others. When PepsiCo is listed, it doesn’t just mean people boycott drinking the beverage. This is because the corporation also owns Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell, among others. There were calls to boycott the fashion house Zara for their ad campaign that looked eerily like shrouds and casualties in Gaza. The list of companies is not limited to food, fashion or cosmetics alone, for companies such as Disney, Burger King, Siemens, and Hewlett Packard are also being called out. In contrast there are a few large companies like Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and Huda Beauty that have openly called for a ceasefire.
Several protesters find it challenging to comply, due to the wide range of companies being boycotted, but are determined to see it through. Like those around the world who are rallying for peace in Gaza, Elena, a high school student in Illinois, is doing her share. Though she finds it difficult, she uses product substitutions to stay true to her beliefs. “My biggest advice to those finding it hard to boycott is to find substitutions. For example, I used to be a regular at Starbucks, but have given up one of my favorite drinks. Instead of battling to stay caffeine free, I look towards other local coffee shops.”
Even those who don’t have a connection to Palestine, Israel, or the Muslim community are taking action. Ava, a Christian middle school student in California, says, “I’m trying to do my part because I don’t believe what is currently happening is right. I do not wish to support companies supporting this war.” Like Elena, she also struggles to resist using her favorite products from boycotted companies. “I used to go to Starbucks every morning before school to get a drink that would help wake me up. It’s difficult now to snap out of a habit, but I’ve begun substituting my favorite drinks with other options, such as boba.”
The Effectiveness of Boycotts
In “Do boycotts against McDonald’s and Starbucks work?” a Northeastern Global News article, Cody Mello-Klein writes, “It more likely has to do something with the brands chosen as the target…When the brands are more easily replaceable, then they’re more vulnerable to a consumer boycott” (Dec. 5, 2023). Target and Bud Light saw sales crash in a 2023 boycott associated with an LGBTQ issue. In the context of Israel, the boycotts seem to be working against Starbucks, according to the Forbes article “Do Boycotts Actually Work? Examining The Use Of Boycotts To Drive Social Change” (Dec. 22, 2023).
Janice Gassam Asare notes that, historically, boycotts have worked. “Boycotts should be one of many tools in our arsenal for social change,” she remarks. Interestingly, she says that “only about 3.5% of the population’s participation is needed to create serious political change. No action is too small, and we must remember that any rock, no matter how small, that is thrown into the pond of liberation will create a ripple effect that contributes to greater societal shifts for years to come.”
However, boycotts may not always significantly impact revenue. That doesn’t mean that we give up, for they can still harm a corporation’s reputation — especially via negative publicity. The boycotts that work best are the ones that gain the most media attention.
According to the Newsweek article, “Are McDonald’s, Starbucks Boycotts Working?” Omar Mohammed writes that companies feel that the boycotts are targeting them unfairly (Nov. 17, 2023). McDonald’s believes that a combination of social media and propaganda has made their stand on the conflict inaccurate. The company states that, “McDonald’s Corporation is not funding or supporting any governments involved in this conflict. the company said in a statement sent to AFP.”
Has Either Company’s Bottom Line Been Damaged?
While the share price for Starbucks and McDonald’s has not been affected significantly, they continue to face protests and media outrage. On Dec. 18, 2023, Vox.com ran the headline, “Starbucks has lost $11 billion market value, and not because of boycotts.” After all, there is more to boycotts than dollars and cents.
Like most people around the world advocating for peace in Gaza, Iman, a Canadian student, shares her point of view. “As an average person in Canada, there’s not much I can do to support my brothers and sisters in Palestine who are suffering through a tremendous tragedy. Compared to the scale of sacrifice they are enduring, giving up my favorite drink from Starbucks or my favorite Disney channels is a small sacrifice. Since it’s practically the only way I can help, I’ll do it with no complaints.”
Thirty-eight States Have Passed Anti-BDS Legislation
Boycotting can prove challenging in the U.S. Even prior to this latest war on Gaza, lawmakers have made countless attempts to suppress First Amendment rights by making it illegal to boycott Israel. Illinois was the first. Other examples include Missouri and Kansas, which “don’t allow companies with state contracts to boycott or divest from Israel.” In 2017, businesses in Dickinson, Texas, were denied Hurricane Harvey recovery funds if they were BDS supporters.
It might still be too early to accurately quantify how well boycotts against brands that support Israel are working. South Africa won its freedom from apartheid thanks to 35 years of boycotts. There is no conclusive evidence that boycotts will halt Israel’s war on Gaza. But for millions, boycotting is worth a shot. It’s a small sacrifice that they are proud to make.
This article was written by college-bound students enrolled in WritersStudio.us workshops that focus on nurturing confidence and skills related to critical thinking, comprehension, analysis and writing.
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