Proof that wallets can be louder than words.
The boycott. It’s a mighty move to enact change.
Whether it’s about environmental harm or ignorant marketing, the reasons for boycotts are as varied as the industries they target.
In this blog, we’ll look at why brand boycotts happen, spotlight some very recent high-profile examples, and why staying ethical equals survival for any business today.
Because let’s face it, people care about more than what brands sell. They care about what they stand for.
Why brands get boycotted in the first place
Over half of shoppers globally are motivated to either buy from or boycott brands based on alignment with their beliefs. It’s a movement driven by increasing distrust in traditional institutions, and desire for meaning amidst a consumptive lifestyle.
Here are some of the most common reasons why one consciously stops buying from brands:
- Social missteps: Taking controversial stances – or failing to take one, to begin with – on hot topics like gender equality or inclusivity can alienate large portions of a customer base that prioritises such issues.
- COO: No, not chief operating officer. Rather, country of origin. A whole country, or several, may boycott brands that originate from a nation seen to be on the opposing side of geopolitical conflict.
- Misaligned values: When a brand’s actions go against its publicly-shared principles.
- Environmental irresponsibility: Brands with blatantly harmful practices will get called out by eco-conscious consumers who demand better.
It’s worth noting that not all boycotts are led by consumers, end-users, and the like. Sometimes uprising comes from within a company. Other times, it’s pushback from other businesses, as you’ll read about soon enough.
A few recent cases
On to the more thrilling part. We take a look at some of the recent cases involving brand boycotts.
X
- When: ongoing
- Why: multiple missteps by a plateauing platform
It was one thing when Elon Musk bought the microblogging platform for a whopping US$44 billion. It was another when he rebranded it from Twitter to X – with a rollout that was quite comical, to say the least. Yet, here we are at another significant junction of the X-Musk journey.
This August, X filed a lawsuit against the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM), which featured international players like FMCG giant Unilever, Mars Inc. and CVS Health. Accused of orchestrating an illegal boycott, X claims GARM was pushing advertisers away, trying to portray them as a violation of antitrust laws. The latest updates? X is no longer pursuing Unilever but added Twitch to the list of defendants.
X, however, has lost and continues to lose hundreds of millions of dollars in ad revenue since the October 2022 takeover. To many, the lawsuit looks more like a defensive reaction to its financial woes. Under Musk, X has faced escalating criticism for changes that have amplified hate speech, misinformation, and other harmful content, making it a less appealing space for brands.
Amazon and The Washington Post
- When: October 2024
- Why: abuse of power and political controversy
Just last month, #BoycottAmazon and #BoycottWapo spread on social media after Jeff Bezos, owner of both Amazon and The Washington Post (WaPo), interfered in the newspaper. WaPo was ready to publish an endorsement for Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in the final weeks leading up to the US presidential elections. And then, Bezos pulled the plug.
Critics accused the billionaire of undermining journalistic independence to protect his personal or corporate interests, sparking calls for a boycott. The incident highlighted long-standing concerns about the concentration of power and influence in the hands of tech billionaires. Ring any bells?
For years, the company has faced criticism over its labour practices and environmental impact (remember June 2023?). This latest incident only adds fuel to the fire, resulting in cancelled Amazon Prime memberships, cancelled Washington Post subscriptions, and editorial board members’ resignations.
Brewdog
- When: June 2024
- Why: a series of unethical actions
This summer, #BoycottBrewdog was trending on X.
The company had fired an Asian woman for voicing unease about customers who were members of the far-right English Defence League (EDL) and were drinking at the London bar she worked at. She explained that she had experienced her family’s racial abuse by the EDL. EDL is known for aggressive anti-Islamic, anti-multicultural ideologies and a history of violent street demonstrations.
The dismissal fueled an already spiralling reputation of the once progressive, occasionally rebellious but still cool, beer brand. Six months earlier, Brewdog announced the decision to drop real living wages and pay the bare minimum per January 2024. Why? Because of a £24 million operating loss in 2023. In 2022, they lost their B-Corp status shortly after the BBC documentary ‘Disclosure: The Truth About Brewdog’ exposed a toxic workplace culture of bullying and exploitation.
The controversies go further back, but after 17 years at the helm, CEO and Co-founder James Watt has finally stepped down. Just maybe, it’s a sign of change to come.
Bumble
- When: May 2024
- Why: a major misalignment of values and tone-deaf marketing
The internet coined it The Great Bumble Fumble.
The dating app found itself in hot water after rolling out a new campaign that missed the mark completely. One of the billboard ads read, “You know full well a vow of celibacy is not the answer.” Everyone called Bumble out for shaming women who choose celibacy – whether for personal beliefs, healing from trauma, navigating a world with limited reproductive rights, or just being tired and wanting to hit pause on the dating scene.
It was only natural that #BoycottBumble became trending. Many pointed out the irony: a company that claims to empower women seemed to be mocking a valid and often empowering choice. To this day, the TikTok maintains its dedicated Discover page on the fiasco.
Bumble quickly issued a statement, pledging to pull the ads. They even promised to make donations to the National Domestic Violence Hotline and other organisations supporting women, giving them the chance to use the billboard space instead. Some praised Bumble for its sincere apology, though others argued that the attempt at humor had marked its reputation among its core audience.
Tesla
- When: January 2025 (and ongoing)
- Why: the toxic influence of an overreaching CEO, perhaps
Now to a second entry for Elon Musk owned companies.
In January 2025, Tesla experienced a sizeable decrease in European sales, with figures dropping to 9,945 vehicles from the previous year’s 18,161, according to data from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA).
That shocking 45% tumble resulted in Tesla’s market share falling (from 1.8% to 1%). It doesn’t require a genius leap of imagination to connect this downturn to CEO Elon Musk’s belligerent involvement in European politics, including his vocal support for far-right populist parties – including Germany’s AfD.
While the evidence that a boycott is afoot seems conclusive, it’s not the only signal there’s a consumer backlash against Tesla. The slump appeared as the European market for electric cars grew by 34% to 124,341 units, the figures from the ACEA showed. And in Germany – where Musk has eagerly swaggered into the political debate – they grew even more, by 53.5%. Tesla’s decline is in diametric opposition to the zeitgeist.
We’re curious to see where this is going to go. But so far it seems that demagoguery and company direction aren’t all that compatible.
Products from the US
- When: January 2025 (and ongoing)
- Why: a mass political protest
Boycotts don’t have to be against single brands – they can be a sweeping protest against the country of origin.
That’s what appears to be happening in 2025. In Scandinavia, and especially in Sweden, US goods appear to be getting boycotted because of the political stances of the ‘leader of the free world’. We don’t need to say his name.
Social media groups supporting a boycott have increased their members rapidly. For instance, Bojkotta varor från USA (translation: boycott goods from the US) now has over 70,000. As one follower puts it: “Craving KFC? Go for grilled chicken at your neighbourhood restaurant instead”.
One of the key issues seems to be the US’s policy towards Ukraine, although reports from another EU member, France (where an incipient boycott is afoot), suggest that a barrier towards boycotting is being able to identify which products are definably from the US.
It’s a fascinating boycott that could spread and if so, start to put serious pressure on the country’s economy and the leaders who will stand or fall based on the economy’s success. It could become one of the most impactful boycotts of all. We’ve got our eyes on this one and, frankly, given the recent policy to dramatically increase logging in national forests, we might even join in.
Long story short: ethics matter
For sustainably-driven businesses, being ethical is about showing up for the planet and people in a way that consumers believe in and want to support. Ethics build trust and loyalty that stay long after the first transaction.
Shoppers today are looking beyond what’s on the shelf and paying attention to how it got there. If a brand claims to be sustainable but engages in unfair labour practices or has questionable leadership, the backlash can be swift and unforgiving. The rise of social media amplifies these conversations, and one misstep can lead to a viral #Boycott[YourBrandHere] in no time.
After all, a boycott isn’t just bad press. It’s a loud statement that people expect better.
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