McDonald's, billions of dollars in smoke: pro-Palestinians boycott the fast food chain
Tensions in the Middle East are also felt in the world of fast food. McDonald'swith its iconic red and yellow logo, suffered a 3.7% drop on the stock market due to the boycott triggered by the war in the Gaza Strip between Israel And Hamas. It all started in October, when the American fast food chain posted on social media the news that it had donated free meals to Israeli soldiers.
The reaction of pro-Palestinian users was not long in coming: the hashtag #Boycott McDonalds in fact, it went viral in an instant and in many Muslim-majority countries, such as Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon and Pakistan, customers decided to abandon McDonald's restaurants. The company tried to defend itself, stressing that it stands in solidarity with all communities affected by the war and not to support any party in the conflict.
The same CEO of the chain, Chris Kempczinskipublished a long post on LinkedIn in which he reiterates the values of inclusion and respect for McDonald's and recalls the company's commitment to supporting communities in difficulty. However, the boycott shows no signs of abating. Misinformation and accusations of alleged financial links with Israel continue to damage the image of McDonald's in the Middle East, where 5% of its over 40 thousand restaurants worldwide are located.
In Malaysia, the company even took the pro-Palestinian activist movement to court Bds Malaysiaaccusing him of defamation for promoting the boycott. McDonald's Egypthowever, wanted to reiterate that it is a 100% Egyptian company and that it has no connection with the American parent company.
The situation is complex and the implications for McDonald's are still uncertain. The American multinational is trying to stem the damage from the boycott, but the Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues to weigh on its sales and reputation in the Middle East.
Beyond McDonald'salso other fast food chains like Starbucks were targeted by boycotts. Western multinationals find themselves in a difficult position: on the one hand they must defend their values of inclusion and respect, on the other they cannot afford to lose market share in a strategic area such as the Middle East. The clash between Israel And Palestine it has therefore opened a new battle front, even in the world of fast food. The consequences of this economic war are yet to be seen, but one thing is certain: the boycott of McDonald's it is a strong signal that multinationals cannot ignore.
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