Calls for Consumer Boycotts in Response to Israel-Hamas War
On Instagram, #BoycottStarbucks contains over 24,000 posts. Credit: Matthew Devine '24
Several multinational companies are facing consumer boycotts for their direct or indirect support of Israel amid the war between Israel and Hamas.
According to NBC News, a recent public opinion poll found that approximately half of Americans have boycotted a brand for supporting social/political causes which they found to contradict their own views.
On whether or not it is fitting for companies to take a stance on political issues, younger generations tend to find it to be more suitable than older generations. According to a recent survey conducted by CNBC, approximately 43% of Americans ages 18-34 believe it is appropriate for companies to take a position on political matters, compared to only 18% of adults ages 65 and up.
Although younger age groups find it more suitable than other generations, it is important to note that in every age category, more Americans believe it is unsuitable for companies to engage with political issues.
“Generally, I don’t boycott brands dependent on their political views; I consume a company’s product based on how much it appeals to me,” said Elena Michael ‘25. “I don’t think it is appropriate for companies to bring politics into their business because that is not what their purpose is, and it only creates more controversy.”
Amid the Israel-Hamas war, over 190 companies have released statements condemning Hamas and expressing support for Israel in response to the Oct. 7 attacks. Major corporations such as Amazon, Starbucks, Google, Microsoft and McDonald’s franchises have all made such statements.
Starbucks recently came under fire after suing its union, Starbucks Workers United, for creating a social media post that contained the term “solidarity with Palestine” along with a picture of a bulldozer tearing down a fence along the Gaza Strip border.
“We strongly disagree with the views expressed by Workers United, including its local affiliates, union organizers and those who identify as members of 'Starbucks Workers United' -- none of these groups speak for Starbucks Coffee Company and do not represent our company's views, positions, or beliefs,” said Starbucks Executive Vice President Sara Kelly.
Some people support Starbucks’ stance as a means of condemning terrorism, while others see it as undermining its Union’s voice in supporting Palestine and have encouraged consumers to boycott the company with “#BoycottStarbucks” trending on Instagram.
With Marist College having a nearby Starbucks, students weighed in on their boycott participation stances.
“I wouldn’t boycott Starbucks. I don’t buy from the local Starbucks regularly,” said Laura Kelton ‘24. “I don’t support what Starbucks did. I think they should have a unified message with their union; however, I understand their reasoning for releasing their own statement.”
“My spending habits at Starbucks wouldn’t be affected by Starbucks’s statement,” said Clayton Pike ‘26. “I do believe that the Starbucks Union posting a statement on social media in support of the people of Palestine is a powerful thing, and they should be able to speak out and voice their opinions, but I do support Starbucks and other corporation’s statements condemning the attacks on Israel.”
“I first started boycotting Starbucks after they fired someone who made a public statement about a ‘Free Palestine,’” said Caitlin Blencowe ‘24. “Starbucks was easy to cut out because I can make coffee at home, and I say this as someone who used to get Starbucks a few times a week. When I feel brands support or fund a genocide, I think it is the least we can do is to boycott those brands and apply pressure that way.”
As stated by Newsweek, shortly after Hamas attacked Israel, McDonald's Israel donated about 4,000 meals to hospitals in Israel and the Israeli military. According to Business Insider, the Israeli franchisee plans to continue giving discounts to soldiers and security forces across Israel. Not everyone took this donation as a kind gesture, and “#BoycottMcDonalds” began to gain traction.
Although this particular franchisee chose to support Israel, McDonald's as a corporation hasn’t released any statement of universal support for either side of the conflict. Many McDonald's locations throughout the Middle East have pledged to stand with the people of Gaza, such as McDonald’s Oman, which has donated over $100,000 in relief to Gaza.
“I can’t really say whether I feel it's appropriate or not for McDonalds to release a statement on this issue,” said Pike. “If there was a political issue I felt strongly about, I wouldn’t necessarily expect a brand I support to make a statement about it, but if they did, I would appreciate it.”
Among the conversation surrounding these boycotts, some think it won’t have the negative effects people are hoping to find results in; however, others believe it will.
“Personally, I believe that boycotting Starbucks along with other multinational corporations won’t have a major impact as the companies are so large they will still continue to profit,” said Pike.
“From what I’m seeing, the boycotts – at least for Starbucks – are working. You can go on TikTok and see employees talking about it. Money does a lot, and historically, boycotts have worked, so I think they are so important right now,” said Blencowe.