For more than eight months in a row, Israel has been invading Gaza, which has been besieged by Palestine. More than 37 thousand people lost their lives. And on this issue, a boycott of the soft drink brand Coca-Cola is being called in many countries of the world including Bangladesh.
And this time the call of the boycott spread to the North African country of Morocco. Ahead of the upcoming holy Eid-ul-Azha, a boycott of Coca-Cola and Pepsi brand soft drinks has been called for in the country on social media.
The Moroccan World News reported this information in a report on Monday (June 10).
As the holy Eid-ul-Azha approaches, Moroccan social media have started calling for a boycott of Coca-Cola and Pepsi, according to reports. The call comes in reference to the companies’ alleged support for Israel in the ongoing war in Gaza.
Generally, consumption of soft drinks increases during the holiday season. But activists are urging Moroccans to stay away from the American soft drink giant.
Morocco World News reports that various posts on social media with hashtags such as Boycott CocaCola (#BoycottCocaCola) insist that by purchasing their (CocaCola) products, consumers are in effect ‘drinking the blood of their Palestinian brothers.’
Some, however, advocate using Moroccan mint tea instead of these soft drinks. They claim that using this tea as an alternative to soft drinks will be healthier and at the same time good for the local economy. Some, however, recommend opting for natural juices or Moroccan-made drinks instead of soft drinks.
However, concerns have been raised about the detrimental effect of such boycotts on local workers at Coca-Cola and Pepsi. A significant number of Moroccan citizens work in the soft drink sector and could face job losses if sales of these drinks drop significantly.
These calls for a boycott are part of the larger ‘Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement’ which seeks to pressure Israel economically.
Coca-Cola has been specifically targeted for operating a factory in Atarot in the West Bank amid Israel’s ongoing aggression in Gaza, Moroccan World News says. There are Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which are considered illegal under international law.
Earlier in 2022, the American food company General Mills left Atarot in the Occupied Palestinian Territory under pressure from activists. The Friends of Al-Aqsa organization is now pushing Coca-Cola to follow suit.
“By drinking Coca-Cola, we as consumers are turning a blind eye to the illegal occupation of Palestine,” the company says.
Also globally, Coca-Cola and Pepsi have already seen sales decline in some countries due to similar boycott campaigns and their perceived stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Among other countries, Coca-Cola’s sales in Turkey have also fallen sharply, according to Morocco World News.
