Israel’s war on Gaza: Are boycotts hurting US brands?
Al Jazeera
McDonald’s is the latest of several brands to report a sales dip in Asia and the Middle East.
McDonald’s has missed sales targets partly due to boycotts against its products in some parts of the world over its perceived support for Israel, the company says.
The war on Gaza “meaningfully impacted” performance in the last quarter of 2023 in some regions, company officials said on Monday. Sales growth in the Middle East, China and India stood at 0.7 percent in the quarter, far below expectations.
The fast food company is only one of several United States brands hit by boycotts and protests over their perceived support for Israel’s war on Gaza. On social media sites, lists are going around of brands accused of supporting Israel although the ties are often not clearly explained. The push is part of a larger Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign targeting Israel-friendly brands since 2005.
