Some people see consumer boycotting as a fantastic way to create a positive impact by putting your “money where your mouth is,” but is it all that effective? People choose to boycott certain brands as a tangible way to show disapproval of a company’s actions, rather than other means of expression like simply complaining on social media. The logic is that businesses are more likely to notice and care about lower revenue rather than mere outrage on the internet.
The recent conflict in the Middle East has led to an increase in consumer boycotting for companies like Sabra which supports Israel. Sabra is a company known for their hummus and regularly supports the Israeli Defense Brigade, according to The New York Times. Despite the increasing popularity of consumer boycotting, it still remains ineffective and not nearly as helpful as it is made out to be.
The first major problem with consumer boycotting is how it’s often misinformed because people instantly believe what they see on social media as fact. While many people research the actions carried out by companies, many more blindly follow the latest trend because “everyone else is doing so” without doing their own research.
Another consideration is whether a company has a legitimate reason behind its actions and there is simply a lack of context. For example, some customers boycotted In-N-Out in 2018 for donating to the California Republican Party when, in reality, the company had made extensive donations across the political spectrum, according to CNBC. People were quick to outrage and boycott the restaurant chain without taking the time to do the proper research. Consumer boycotts are ineffective if people do not thoroughly research a business before boycotting.
Over the past decade, numerous technology companies such as Facebook and Amazon have faced complaints over data privacy and worker treatment respectively. It would be unfeasible to boycott these companies since they are so commonplace. What is a consumer to do? It would be hypocritical for consumers not to boycott Amazon or Facebook, for example, but instead boycott Starbucks because it is easier to do so. If consumers truly want to stay consistent and boycott every single company with unethical practices they disapprove of, they may end up having to become a monk.
Consumer boycotts remain ineffective, morally problematic, and impractical. The reality of the matter is that the vast majority of consumers are far too quick in their judgment, and while some boycotts are more popular than others, most of them are far too small to make any significant impact.