Roughly one in three consumers around the world are actively boycotting a brand or company for supporting a side in the Israel-Hamas war, a new survey has found, with the latest numbers proving that shoppers are becoming increasingly political in their purchasing decisions.
According to the latest annual Trust Barometer study from public relations firm Edelman’s, conflicting global opinions about the war in Gaza, as well as other contentious international issues, are leading consumers to distance themselves from businesses that do not share their values. The study, which polled 15,000 people across 15 countries—including France, the United Kingdom, the United States, and nations in the Middle East—found that the number of respondents who choose or avoid brands based on politics has increased to 60 percent since last year. Additionally, more than 70 percent now believe that businesses should actively take a stance on controversial issues.
Foremost among these issues is the war between Israel and Hamas, which has raged since the October 7th Hamas attacks and led to the deaths of more than 30,000 Palestinians. While the survey did not note where individual respondents stood on the war, three of the top five countries boycotting brands over the conflict were Muslim-majority nations in the Middle East.
In Saudi Arabia, 71 percent of consumers have engaged in some form of boycott, as have 57 percent in the United Arab Emirates and 50 percent in Indonesia. India, a largely pro-Israel country that also houses a sizeable Muslim minority, and Germany rounded out the top of the list.
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More broadly, consumers around the world are beginning to insist that their brands become political in some form, with more than 50 percent of American respondents believing that a majority of companies have a political alignment.
Per Edelman’s findings, “nearly 8 in 10 see brand actions as political. Actions considered political include taking a stand on issues, recruiting diverse employees, reducing climate impact, and encouraging voting.”
Even silence on a given issue can be seen as a political action by a company, particularly among younger and left-leaning consumers. According to the survey, more than 50 percent of consumers say that, “when a brand does not communicate its actions on societal issues,” it is either “doing nothing or hiding something.”
Related: McDonald’s to Buy Out Franchises in Israel After Pro-Palestine Boycotts
The survey also noted the rise of what has come to be known as “brand nationalism,” with 78 percent of consumers refusing to buy from foreign companies based on where they are based. While this is most prevalent in the anti-Israel areas of the Middle East, it is also found in the anti-Chinese consumer practices among the American right.
The full 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer can be read below:
Edelman-2024-Brand-Trust-SurveyDownload
Connor Walcott is a staff writer for Valuetainment.com. Follow Connor on X and look for him on VT’s “The Unusual Suspects.”
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