72% of Saudis Support Boycott of Brands Over Gaza War
CrossFireArabia- June 15, 2024
Latest global purchasing survey shows 1 in 3 consumers are boycotting brand names over the Israeli war in Gaza.
The survey made by the Edelman’s public relations firm polled 15,000 consumers around the world across 15 countries that included USA, France, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, UK, India and Indonesia.
The consumer boycotting brands include Starbucks, McDonald’s and Coca-Cola with news of the Trust Barometer report currently trending on the social media.
The top five consumer boycotting countries are Saudi Arabia, UAE, Indonesia, India and surprisingly Germany. In Saudi 72 percent of those surveyed said they are boycotting international brands followed by 57 percent in the UAE because of the Israeli war on Gaza now in its ninth month.
Respondents perception is the major reason for their boycott, saying they believe one side is actively supporting the other in the genocide on Gaza.
One commented this is a shocking surprise for the boycott’s enemies and a joyful surprise for its supporters while another said this is a reminder to the “boycotts don’t work idiots.”
The boycott campaign has been strongest in the Middle East when many consumers stopped buying products and/or frequenting brand cafes with international tag names associated with Israel.
Further, the campaign took off last October after McDonald’s Israel’s “franchise announced it was giving free meals to Israeli soldiers in its branches in the country,” according to Middle East Eye. Its CFO Ian Borden says it lost $7 billion because of the boycott.
