In our late-stage capitalist society, we all know that major corporations are purely profit-driven as they cut corners with the quality of their product. They’ve proved it countless times before, as they pay their factory workers lower wages, animation companies lay off their animators in favor of cheap AI labor, while also union busting companies like Starbucks.
When the general public disagrees with a corporation’s handling of its business and profit, it often wonders how to pressure it to do better. There are many ways to protest companies, like striking, signing petitions, marching, and walk-outs.
But if corporations and companies are profit-driven, why not hit them where it hurts most? Their wallets.
To do that, we have to boycott their products. Boycotting means giving up the consumption of specific products to pressure corporations to do better with their money and business. In theory, this causes companies to pay attention to the loss of profits and make changes to regain the public’s favor.
Boycotting isn’t a new concept; we’ve done it since as early as the 18th century when we boycotted all English goods during the American Revolutionary War. Whenever we’ve boycotted buses, products, and businesses, it often brings about change.
For example, in July 2021, A movement named Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) called for the boycotting of Ben and Jerry’s to force them to stop selling their ice cream in stores located on illegal Israeli Settlements on Palestinian Land. Eventually, Ben and Jerry’s announced it would stop selling ice cream in those locations, stating, “We believe it is inconsistent with our values for Ben & Jerry’s ice cream to be sold in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.”
What I’m saying is that boycotting is a very effective strategy. It works in more ways than putting pressure on Corporations. A boycott list helps inform consumers to make ethical choices with the products they buy. It makes the public conscious of the Company’s behavior and allows them to stop supporting it.
Because people are boycotting Starbucks and McDonald’s to force them to divest in Israel, both chains are finding new ways to market their products to bring in more profits. They’re feeling the effects of the boycotts and doing all they can to regain their lost profits. It forces companies to realize they need us more than we need them. It causes them to listen to and take our concerns seriously because they won’t listen to us unless they have to.
Boycotting is a powerful strategy for protesting, but not by itself. If more people boycott, sign petitions, spread awareness, and make their voice heard, companies will be forced to make sweeping decisions, unfortunately, not because of moral obligation, but because of fiscal responsibilities.
