US and European brands are being hit by boycotts across the Middle East, with consumers turning to local alternatives in protest against western governments’ support for Israel amid the war on Gaza.
Some of America’s most iconic brands including McDonalds, Starbucks, Coca-Cola and Domino’s Pizza have been targeted by boycott campaigns, alongside Germany’s Puma and French supermarket chain Carrefour.
From this week, Turkish politicians will no longer quench their thirst with Coca-Cola or chomp on Swiss-made Nestlé snacks, as western brands were removed from parliament buildings.
“The products of companies that support Israel will not be sold in restaurants, cafeterias and tea houses in the parliament campus,” Turkey’s Grand National Assembly said in a statement.
Stickers on lamp posts and bus stops in Istanbul, where residents are largely pro-Palestine, also allege that “Starbucks stands with Israel”. The move is thought to be inspired by legal action taken by the coffee company against its workers’ union for posting a pro-Palestinian statement on social media.
A push to move away from US brands has meant a boost for some regional brands. One big winner has reportedly been Egyptian soda-maker Spiro Spathis. Founded in 1920, its products’ popularity has faded over the decades as it struggled to compete with foreign rivals, but it has now seen sales spike by 300 per cent as a result of the boycotts, according to Egyptian media.
McDonald’s came under fire last month when its Israeli franchise operator said it had donated thousands of free meals to Israeli soldiers.
While McDonald’s golden arches can be spotted around the world, its international restaurants are sometimes franchises run by local companies.
The McDonald’s entity in Kuwait, for instance, said in early November that it had donated $250,000 (£204,532) to the Kuwaiti Red Crescent for relief efforts in Gaza, and that it was a “100% Kuwaiti company, owned and operated by Al Maousherji Catering Company to which all our profits go”.
“McDonald’s on a global level does not get any share of these profits… Since inception, we have been proud of our Kuwaiti, Arab and Islamic identity,” the McDonald’s Kuwaiti entity said in a statement, also posting an image of the Palestinian flag online.
McDonald’s Corporation has said it is “dismayed by the disinformation and inaccurate reports regarding our position in response to the conflict in the Middle East,” making clear that it “is not funding or supporting any governments involved in this conflict”.
Actions taken by local licensing partners “were made independently without McDonald’s consent or approval,” it said. “Our hearts are with all of the communities and families impacted by this crisis.”