Have you ever boycotted a brand or company because of their political beliefs?

[kage69]

Regarding the Honorable chocolate chip cookie, Ghirardelli 60% is my favorite, so much better than any Nestle product. I had to reign in my use of them awhile back, it was getting ridiculous. Use them in banana bread pudding, perhaps my favorite dessert of all time. Ok, top three.

 

[Sunburn74]

Question in the title. Have you ever boycotted a brand or company because of their political beliefs?

Some examples of this happening might include people boycotting bud light recently or people refusing to eat at Chick-fil-A. Have you ever done anything similar and what was it about?

Lots of companies I won't buy their product, but to be honest its generally companies I already wasn't really buying their product anyway. Still it matters. I've been in the market for an electric car for a little while and for a long time it was going to be a tesla until many recent statements by Elon Musk and now it certainly won't be a tesla.

I think I've boycotted hobby lobby for sure.
My wife is boycotting chick fila for their anti-LGBTQ stuff but honestly she doesn't eat fast food so its moot. She wouldn't have been eating there anyway.

My understanding is that in the economics research literature boycotts basically don't work at all. They make people feel good but they don't cripple the company or even often inspire change...

 

[skyking]

you don't have to cripple the company to make the stand they they will NEVER make a cent of profit from you.
Look back to my first post. Why would I ever want a cent of my money to go to some company that rails against and lobbies directly against Planned Parenthood, and then give money to Planned Parenthood?

That's how I view it. If you are nice to your employees and for the betterment of our society, then I want your company to prosper.
Don't give up and give in because you think it makes no difference.

 

[BoomerD]

Yes. i proudly boycott the Republican Party.

 

[evident]

I live close to a very nice gym whos ownerbussed a ton of people to DC on Jan 6. The gym is very nice. it's almost like a country club and has a great swimming pool for kids. i swear i will never go there, but our friends who share the same views as me overlook all of that because it's so convenient.

 

[Fenixgoon]

i avoid home depot because they supported the orange one. but sometimes they have stuff that lowe's doesn't.
i avoid amazon because of how they treat their workers.
no way in hell i will buy a tesla.
stopped getting hobby supplies at hobby lobby (plus my local arts/paint store has way better stuff)

i'm sure there are a few others i've forgotten about. can i make good on these 100% of the time? no, but i do my best to find alternatives from small/local businesses.

 

[kage69]

My understanding is that in the economics research literature boycotts basically don't work at all. They make people feel good but they don't cripple the company or even often inspire change...

Depends on who is doing them. Worked during the civil rights movement. IIRC the boycotts from the LGBTQ community regarding Prop 8 back in the oughts worked. I forget his name but some big wig pastor went on the radio and pleaded with people not to boycott anymore, that it was hurting too many families *quantum violin serenade here* I got the impression the boycotts were having an effect, what with the moaning and groveling. I know I've linked it here in the past.

Didn't the Bud Light boycott cause AB to about face? We've seen multiple companies walk back their LGBTQ support too since that hubbub I'm pretty sure. Sounds like inspired change to me. If it wasn't from fear of boycotts, then what?

 

[Sunburn74]

Depends on who is doing them. Worked during the civil rights movement. IIRC the boycotts from the LGBTQ community regarding Prop 8 back in the oughts worked. I forget his name but some big wig pastor went on the radio and pleaded with people not to boycott anymore, that it was hurting too many families *quantum violin serenade here* I got the impression the boycotts were having an effect, what with the moaning and groveling. I know I've linked it here in the past.

Didn't the Bud Light boycott cause AB to about face? We've seen multiple companies walk back their LGBTQ support too since that hubbub I'm pretty sure. Sounds like inspired change to me. If it wasn't from fear of boycotts, then what?

I'm going to link the podcast episode. You can read the transcript or listen to the whole thing.

Do Boycotts Work? - Freakonomics

Do Boycotts Work? - Freakonomics

freakonomics.com

Its not that some boycotts don't work but they are very few and far between (maybe the Rosa parks boycott, maybe the Gandhi cloth boycotts. I say maybe because there were many things also happening at that time that lead to civil rights changes in those countries). I would wager <1% of all boycotts actually achieved something meaningful.

Overwhelmingly however, boycotts generally don't achieve anything because they tend to be
1) disorganized
2) being pushed by non-mainstream or extremist views
3) often difficult to sustain both in terms of media coverage and actual boycotting

You'd be more successful just suing that company somehow than trying to win through the boycott mechanism.

 

[nakedfrog]

Didn't the Bud Light boycott cause AB to about face? We've seen multiple companies walk back their LGBTQ support too since that hubbub I'm pretty sure. Sounds like inspired change to me. If it wasn't from fear of boycotts, then what?

Threats from domestic terrorists?

 

[nOOky]

I would never buy a Mypillow, but I have heard that sales lately are not that great, good news.

 

[UNCjigga]

I boycotted Bud Light—because it tastes like ass. If I’m ever drinking light beer, it’s either ice cold Coors outdoors in the summer or Miller Lite indoors.

 

[fskimospy]

I've never boycotted a company that I can think of, although I imagine my distaste for some of their views would make me less likely to go to them. Most of the really shitty companies are either so ubiquitous it's impossible to boycott (Nestle) or don't impact me personally as I'm not very crafty (Hobby Lobby) and there are almost no Chick Fil A's or Wal Marts in NYC.

 

[BoomerD]

I boycotted Bud Light—because it tastes like ass. If I’m ever drinking light beer, it’s either ice cold Coors outdoors in the summer or Miller Lite indoors.

I boycotted Coors because of labor disputes back in the 70s. (Coors beer is scab beer)
They finally resolved their labor issues...yet I still don't drink it...except a very occasional Coors Light. (maybe one every couple of years)

 

[kage69]

I'm going to link the podcast episode. You can read the transcript or listen to the whole thing.

Do Boycotts Work? - Freakonomics

Do Boycotts Work? - Freakonomics

freakonomics.com

Its not that some boycotts don't work but they are very few and far between (maybe the Rosa parks boycott, maybe the Gandhi cloth boycotts. I say maybe because there were many things also happening at that time that lead to civil rights changes in those countries). I would wager <1% of all boycotts actually achieved something meaningful.

Overwhelmingly however, boycotts generally don't achieve anything because they tend to be
1) disorganized
2) being pushed by non-mainstream or extremist views
3) often difficult to sustain both in terms of media coverage and actual boycotting

You'd be more successful just suing that company somehow than trying to win through the boycott mechanism.

There are far more examples than that, more important ones too. I believe you are viewing the subject through the lens of money, which by the numbers is rather lopsided as far as success, sure. But it's not always about money.

Case in point: did Israel ignore the Boycott Israel movement because boycotts don't work? Or did they come out swinging against it, using state money and political clout to assault the effort around the globe? Boycotts work, provided the scale is there, but the fear of them can work even better.

British folks boycotted sugar produced with slavery in the early 19th century IIRC, that along with protests finally got the British slave trade abolished. I'd say the ending of slavery for the world's foremost colonial power at the time was a bit of a big deal. Zoom ahead to "now," MLB pulls AllStar game from Georgia over new voter unfair laws. Movie production firms pull out, taking thousands of jobs with them. Those happened on relatively short notice and without a media ecosystem rooting for it, in fact, many were doing the opposite. South Africans used to talk shit about boycotts back in the 80s, look what happened there.

Boycotts have produced enough meaningful change in the world to validate the tactic, easily. Trying to reduce it to a game of numbers strikes me as quite silly, like noting 'the vast amount of bullets miss their targets in warfare - therefor trying to defend yourself and allies is a waste of time.'

The people who worry about boycotts definitely want everyone else to believe they are ineffective though. Are they difficult to organize and pull off? Sure, but that doesn't mean boycotts are useless.

 

[Indus]

there are almost no Chick Fil A's or Wal Marts in NYC.

And I thought I was weird because I totally had never seen Chick Fil A's nearby.

As for Walmart.. you need to go over to Jersey or Valley Stream for the closest ones.

 

[HomerJS]

I forgot, stopped going to Denny's when they were mistreating black customers then they did it to the wrong people. A group of black Secret Service agents.

Shit hit the fan.

 

[skyking]

I had to go looking. OMG that's nuts.
"
In April 1993, Denny's agreed as part of a consent decree to settle a Federal suit in California to take steps to end discrimination. But the same day it entered that consent decree, the Denny's in Annapolis refused to serve the six black Secret Service agents. They later sued in Federal court in Baltimore, and the case in California was reopened."

On the same day. What the actual fuck.

https://www.nytimes.com/1994/05/25/us/denny-s-restaurants-to-pay-54-million-in-race-bias-suits.html#:~:text=In%20April%201993%2C%20Denny's%20agreed,six%20black%20Secret%20Service%20agents.

 

[Paratus]

I forgot, stopped going to Denny's when they were mistreating black customers then they did it to the wrong people. A group of black Secret Service agents.

Shit hit the fan.

I’ve been to enough Dennys to realize it’s difficult to know whether shitty service is racism or just Denny’s regular service.

 

[HomerJS]

I had to go looking. OMG that's nuts.
"
In April 1993, Denny's agreed as part of a consent decree to settle a Federal suit in California to take steps to end discrimination. But the same day it entered that consent decree, the Denny's in Annapolis refused to serve the six black Secret Service agents. They later sued in Federal court in Baltimore, and the case in California was reopened."

On the same day. What the actual fuck.

https://www.nytimes.com/1994/05/25/us/denny-s-restaurants-to-pay-54-million-in-race-bias-suits.html#:~:text=In%20April%201993%2C%20Denny's%20agreed,six%20black%20Secret%20Service%20agents.

Just think, wouldn't have happened if we just refuse to talk about racism.

Also, those SS agents were equally responsible for the racism against them.

 

[VashHT]

Not sure I really purposefully do it, I don't like Chick fil a's views but I don't like their food either so it's an easy boycott. Plus the place is always an insane madhouse so I doubt I'd go much even if I did like the food.

I did stop going to Hobby Lobby after the whole contraception thing, I actually went there occasionally to get random stuff. It closed down eventually, not sure it had anything to do with people stopping going there but now it's a Binny's so a win-win for me.

 

[HomerJS]

I’ve been to enough Dennys to realize it’s difficult to know whether shitty service is racism or just Denny’s regular service.

In the first case white SS agents got served. The black ones didn't.

 

[skyking]

There are far more examples than that, more important ones too. I believe you are viewing the subject through the lens of money, which by the numbers is rather lopsided as far as success, sure. But it's not always about money.

Case in point: did Israel ignore the Boycott Israel movement because boycotts don't work? Or did they come out swinging against it, using state money and political clout to assault the effort around the globe? Boycotts work, provided the scale is there, but the fear of them can work even better.

British folks boycotted sugar produced with slavery in the early 19th century IIRC, that along with protests finally got the British slave trade abolished. I'd say the ending of slavery for the world's foremost colonial power at the time was a bit of a big deal. Zoom ahead to "now," MLB pulls AllStar game from Georgia over new voter unfair laws. Movie production firms pull out, taking thousands of jobs with them. Those happened on relatively short notice and without a media ecosystem rooting for it, in fact, many were doing the opposite. South Africans used to talk shit about boycotts back in the 80s, look what happened there.

Boycotts have produced enough meaningful change in the world to validate the tactic, easily. Trying to reduce it to a game of numbers strikes me as quite silly, like noting 'the vast amount of bullets miss their targets in warfare - therefor trying to defend yourself and allies is a waste of time.'

The people who worry about boycotts definitely want everyone else to believe they are ineffective though. Are they difficult to organize and pull off? Sure, but that doesn't mean boycotts are useless.

Very much the case of " nothing to see here, this really does not work, move along now and be good consumers"
Yes fuck that.

 

[skyking]

In the first case white SS agents got served. The black ones didn't.

read through the examples of the cases. They were clearly shitty. Shaming some 13 YO girl for asking for her free birthday meal? Who the hell does that?

 

[MrSquished]

This is not really a boycott but a support shop. I have been a member of Costco for over 20 years, and even though through the years I've moved to places where a BJs or Sam's club is more convenient, but I'll stick to Costco always because as far as wholesale retailers go they are heads and tails above the rest in how they treat their employees. Wall Street literally criticizes them for being so good to their employees cuz they want to see more profits. That's all they care about.

I actually worked with a buyer this year who is a Costco employee and so is his wife. And also the guy who I get my prescriptions from at the Costco pharmacy. They all gave accolades to Costco for how they treat them. No job is perfect and Costco is not perfect, and they're going to be shitty managers and poor working environments wherever people are, but as a whole Costco is on another level compared to the majority of large nationwide American brick and mortar retailers.

 

[FelixDeCat]

I boycotted Bud Light—because it tastes like ass. If I’m ever drinking light beer, it’s either ice cold Coors outdoors in the summer or Miller Lite indoors.

Whose ass did it taste like? 😮