In recent years, the most successful boycotts have tended to be politically motivated, in response to specific changes in policy or government actions.
WASHINGTON — McDonalds is facing a potential boycott as part of a grassroots “economic blackout” campaign demanding accountability and an end to “price gouging” from the fast food chain.
The People’s Union USA, an advocacy group led by John Schwarz, is calling for customers to boycott the second-largest fast food chain in the world for a week, from June 24 through June 30.
“From today through June 30th, we are asking everyone, everywhere to hold the line and stand in solidarity,” Schwarz said in a video posted to his Instagram. “This is not about fast food. This is about the power of the people.”
The People’s Union USA is designed to encourage union activity and activism from working class people, according to their website. Schwarz, a 57-year-old from Chicago, has become a prominent activist in recent years, leading the Feb. 28 Economic Blackout through The People’s Union and other similar demonstrations.
But the boycott isn’t likely to make a dent in the company’s bottom line, according to reporting from CNN. A similar boycott against Amazon, organized by Schwarz in March, failed to have a noticeable impact, with the company listing higher-than-expected earnings for the first quarter of 2025.
And boycotts are notoriously difficult to coordinate, or to track their effects.
CNN reported that consumer experts doubt the McDonald’s action will have any effect on corporate strategy, especially one that is only being called for a week.
In a statement to CNN, McDonald’s said it welcomes “honest dialogue with the communities we serve, but we’re disappointed to see these misleading claims that distort our values and misrepresent our actions.”
In recent years, the most successful boycotts have tended to be politically motivated, in response to specific changes in policy or government actions.
Recent examples include a Tesla boycott after the company’s billionaire CEO Elon Musk began leading the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, for the Trump administration.
The boycott and backlash in general against Musk’s government role, caused Tesla shares to drop 40% from December.
Another example was a 40-day boycott against retail giant Target, led by megachurch pastor Jamal Bryant. He called for followers to boycott Target for Lent, the Christian holiday where those who practice traditionally give up something for 40 days.
That boycott, called for in response to Target’s walkback of diversity and equity programs at the urging of President Donald Trump, had a more pronounced and direct effect on the company’s bottom line. After Bryant specifically urged people involved in the boycott to sell any Target shares they may have owned, the company’s stock dropped 10%, according to Forbes.
Earlier this year, McDonald’s ended some of its diversity practices by retiring specific goals for achieving diversity at senior leadership levels.