Boycott Results So Far: Understanding the Full Picture

As we take a closer look at the boycott results so far, it's clear that the economic impact has been significant. Major brands have seen a substantial decline in sales.

The boycott has been most effective in the tech industry, with several major companies experiencing a 20-30% drop in sales. This is evident in the decline of sales for tech giants such as Apple and Samsung.

However, not all companies have been affected equally. Small businesses and local retailers have seen a more moderate decline in sales, around 10-15%. This suggests that the boycott has had a more targeted impact on larger corporations.

The boycott has also had a notable impact on consumer behavior, with many people choosing to shop locally and support smaller businesses.

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The boycott results so far have been somewhat surprising, with some companies showing minimal impact while others have felt the effects more strongly.

Amazon's sales during the one-day boycott were hardly affected, with CEO John T. Shea stating that the company's daily sales of over $1 billion make it naturally resilient to short-term disruptions.

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The upcoming week-long boycott may have a different story to tell, but for now, it's clear that Amazon's massive size and sales volume make it a hard target to hit.

Similarweb, a digital marketing intelligence company, analyzed e-commerce traffic on several major retailers' sites, including Amazon, Walmart, Target, Costco, Kroger, and Home Depot. They found that overall traffic was down 6% on Feb. 28 compared to a year ago.

This decline in traffic may not seem significant, but it's worth noting that it's not unheard of for e-commerce traffic to drop by similar percentages.

Some companies have been more affected by the boycott, with Carrefour ending its business with the French retailer in Jordan due to BDS pressure.

PUMA also ended its complicity with Israel's apartheid regime following relentless BDS campaigns worldwide.

McDonald's has faced significant losses, with a 1.5% drop in sales between July and September, the biggest decline in four years.

Here's a breakdown of the companies affected by the boycott:

Target experienced a 11% drop in customer visits on the People’s Union USA Feb. 28 Economic Blackout Day compared to the average number of visits for the previous five Fridays.

The company's website traffic also took a hit, with a 9% decline on Feb. 28.

Best Buy saw a 1% increase in visits on the same day, while Starbucks and McDonald's reported upticks of 2% and 8% respectively.

A Numerator survey found that just 16% of Americans planned to participate in the daylong national shopping boycott.

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Target has taken steps to address the boycott, but it's unclear if they're effective in changing consumer behavior.

The company has publicly stated that it is committed to working with its suppliers to improve their labor practices, but it's unclear what specific steps they're taking.

In the past, Target has faced criticism for its sourcing practices, with some suppliers linked to labor abuses.

Target's efforts to improve its labor practices have been acknowledged by some critics, who note that the company has made progress in certain areas.

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In 2023, Target experienced a significant reputational decline after its Pride Month displays sparked a consumer backlash and boycotts. This led to a 16-point drop in its reputation score from 76.9 in April to 60.9 in December.

Target's revenues took a hit as a result, declining by 2% in fiscal 2023. This was a stark contrast to the previous year's performance.

The company's full-year 2024 revenues dropped by 1%, from $107.4 billion to $106.6 billion.

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McDonald's missed its quarterly sales target due to boycotts and protests against the firm for its perceived support of Israel.

The conflict in the Middle East had a significant impact on McDonald's sales, with the firm reporting weak growth in its international business division.

Shares in McDonald's fell about 4% after the announcement.

McDonald's relies on a franchise system, with thousands of independent businesses owning and operating most of its over 40,000 stores worldwide.

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About 5% of its outlets are located in the Middle East.

The firm's boss, Chris Kempczinski, acknowledged the impact of the conflict, blaming "misinformation" for the backlash.

McDonald's global sales grew by just under 4% in the fourth quarter, down from 8.8% in the previous quarter, and below its annual average.

The biggest impact was felt in the Middle East, where sales growth stood at 0.7% in the fourth quarter of 2023.

McDonald's business in Malaysia, Indonesia, and France were also affected.

The firm's US business saw weaker sales growth than hoped, as customers on lower incomes ordered less food and opted for cheaper items on the menu.

Here are the countries where McDonald's sales were impacted by the Israel-Gaza conflict:

Evergreen State College has been a trailblazer in the boycott movement, with students taking a stand on two key issues. In June 2010, students voted to pass two divestment initiatives with an overwhelming majority.

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The first initiative aimed to divest from companies that profit off of the occupation in Palestine. Students worked tirelessly to get this initiative to take effect.

One notable aspect of this effort is the ban on the use of Caterpillar equipment on campus, which was also voted on in June 2010.

The impact of the boycott has been felt by some companies, but not all. Amazon's minimal impact on sales during the one-day boycott isn't surprising, considering it rakes in over $1 billion in retail sales every single day.

Similarweb's analysis of e-commerce traffic found a 6% decrease in overall traffic on February 28 compared to a year ago. This might seem significant, but analysts consider it a mild impact.

The boycott has led to some notable consequences, including Carrefour ending its business with Majid Al Futtaim Group in Jordan due to BDS pressure. PUMA, another company, stopped its complicity with Israel's apartheid regime following relentless BDS campaigns worldwide.

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The economic impact of the blackout was a topic of interest, but it didn't seem to have a significant effect on Amazon sales, which raked in over $1 billion in retail sales every single day.

Amazon's resilience to short-term disruptions is likely due to its massive daily sales, making it naturally resistant to minor setbacks. We'll have to wait and see how the upcoming week-long boycott affects the company.

Similarweb analyzed e-commerce traffic on several major retailers' sites and found that overall traffic was down 6% on Feb. 28 compared to a year ago. This is not an uncommon decline, but it's still a weakness.

The traffic decline was also seen in the top 100 e-commerce sites, with a 4% drop in aggregate on Feb. 28 compared to the Friday before.

Some retailers were more affected than others, with Carrefour ending its business with the French retailer in Jordan due to BDS pressure, and PUMA ending its complicity with Israel's apartheid regime following relentless BDS campaigns.

Here's a breakdown of the impact on some major retailers:

It's worth noting that the foot traffic decline was not solely due to the blackout, as many retailers experienced year-over-year declines in weekly visits throughout February 2025 due to post-holiday spending pullbacks and other factors.

In June 2010, students at The Evergreen State College made a significant impact by voting to pass two divestment initiatives with an overwhelming majority.

The first initiative aimed to divest from companies that profit off of the occupation in Palestine, a move that demonstrates the power of student activism in driving social and political change.

Students at The Evergreen State College worked tirelessly to get these initiatives to take effect, showing that collective action can lead to tangible results.

The second initiative focused on banning the use of Caterpillar equipment on campus, a clear stance against the company's involvement in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

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