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Recently, the boycott movement in support of Israel by Costa Coffee, a famous British coffee shop company that belongs to The Coca-Cola Company, has become a big problem considering the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine and led to the start of Costa Coffee support Israel boycott movement.
This happened because of Costa Coffee’s links with Israeli operations, especially with a factory at Atarot settlement in the West Bank.
People getting involved has made the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions group mad at them.
This group wants to use money pressure on Israel to fix problems with human rights for Palestinians.
Even though more and more people are asking for a Costa Coffee support Israel boycott, Costa Coffee keeps on going because they say they are working to make jobs and make money in the area.
The BDS Movement: An Overview
The Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement is an action started by Palestinians in 2005.
It wants to stand against the way Israel treats Palestinians and support their rights.
The goal of the movement is the end of Israel’s occupation of places where Palestinians live, to make sure that in Israel there are equal rights for people with Palestinian citizenship, and to accept the right for Palestinian refugees to come back.
BDS uses nonviolent methods like those used against South African apartheid, asking people, groups, and governments across the world to stop supporting Israeli institutions and businesses involved in human rights abuses.
Through gathering local movements and using social media networks, BDS tries to force Israel to follow international laws and help Palestinians achieve justice and fairness.
Costa Coffee’s Involvement in the Conflict
Costa Coffee’s business in Israel is mostly because of its parent company, The Coca-Cola Company. This company has a big impact in Israel.
Costa Coffee does not have its stores in Israel. But Coca-Cola’s bottling place in Atarot, which is a settlement in the occupied West Bank, has received criticism due to this the Costa Coffee support Israel boycott movement started.
This relationship has been closely watched by the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
They believe that businesses doing work in Israeli settlements help keep the occupation going and cause bad things to happen to Palestinians.
Costa Coffee also had difficulties because it was linked with Israeli companies like Strauss Group. The Strauss Group is recognized for its support of the Israeli military.
Costa Coffee’s Corporate Response
Costa Coffee has answered the “Costa Coffee support Israel boycott Movement” by releasing declarations saying they agree with respecting human rights and following international law.
Yet, people are saying that how Costa Coffee talks about this does not give enough detail and does not truly respond well to what the BDS movement’s concerns are.
Costa Coffee’s words have been thought as not clear and too little, with the company not promising to stop working in Israeli settlements or to cut connections with Israeli organizations that are accused to be involved in human rights wrongdoing.
Impact on Costa Coffee’s Brand Reputation
The Costa Coffee support Israel boycott movement has greatly affected what people think about the company, causing a divided view among customers.
A lot of people who agree with the boycott feel that Costa Coffee’s connections to Israeli settlements break human rights rules, which makes them question their support and look for other places that match their moral standards better.
This negative reaction has hurt Costa Coffee’s reputation as a responsible company, which could turn away a big number of its customers.
Over time, these bad views might lead to dropping sales and less market share because shoppers are more and more paying attention to what companies do right.
The Role of Social Media in Activism
Social media has been very important for making the boycott against companies like Costa Coffee better known. It helps people quickly share information and join together to feel against something.
Websites like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram help people make plans for campaigns, tell their own stories, and tell people why they are not buying from these companies. This makes the Costa Coffee support Israel boycott movement much more seen by many people.
Online activism has changed small complaints into big worldwide movements. In different campaigns, the use of hashtags and widely shared posts have increased knowledge and participation among people..
The Costa Coffee support Israel boycott movement by not supporting Israel shows how people’s choices as buyers and companies need to think more about their actions in today’s world where businesses are big globally.
