According to the latest edition of the annual report Trust Barometer prepared by the public relations company Edelmanthe number of respondents who said they buy, choose or avoid brands because of politics, increased by 2 percentage points since last year to 60%.. However, over 71 percent surveyed consumers said that companies should take a stand on controversial issues.
In the sixth edition of the online survey 15 thousand took part consumers from 15 countriesincl France, Saudi Arabia, Great Britain and the USA. This year's study included countries that account for more than half of the world's population.
More than 1/3 of consumers boycott companies associated with the war
The report shows that more than one-third of people surveyed around the world say that boycotts brands perceived as supporting either side of the war in Gaza. In the US, almost one in two consumers believe that half or more brands have political affiliations.
According to the Edelman report, many everyday activities of various brands can be perceived as political. Although companies perceived as supporting one side may lose the support of consumers who support the other side, it many people also boycott brands that remain silent. More than half of consumers said that if a brand doesn't say how it responds to social issues, they assume it's doing nothing or hiding something.
Right-wing consumers choose local brands
The shift of the political scene to the right in some countries is reflected in the survey results. 61 percent respondents in France who identified with the right-wing said they would buy French brands instead of foreign brands. This is more than last year.
