Coca-Cola is feeling the pressure as consumer-led boycotts have resulted in a decrease in sales over the past year.
What’s happening?
Coca-Cola sales have decreased by 4% in the first quarter of 2025, according to TheStreet.
Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey attributed recent losses to weakening consumer sentiment, particularly within the Latino community. The company was put on the boycott list created by the Latino Freeze Movement, which is protesting recent rollbacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, as well as attacks on immigrant communities.
The beverage giant partially blames the weakened support among the Latino community on a viral video from February. The video, which Coca-Cola labeled as “false,” explained that Coca-Cola allegedly laid off several thousand Latino workers before reporting them to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Coca-Cola has also been the target of boycotts from environmental nonprofit Greenpeace, according to AS. The company has consistently been named as one of the biggest plastic polluters in the world and accused of misleading consumers about the recyclability of its bottles.
“Coca Cola’s role in plastic pollution is emblematic of plastic itself,” Greenpeace said in a blog post. “It appears to be clean, shiny and convenient, much like plastic. Slick appearances, good public relations and its often close proximity to food and beverage would have you believe it is safe, clean and sterile. Like Coke itself, the truth is that plastic is not healthy at all.”
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Why is boycotting important?
Consumer boycotts can pressure companies to cut ties with dirty energy producers and change their policies to reduce pollution.
Boycotts can also hold companies accountable for their environmental commitments. Coca-Cola has taken steps to curb its plastic pollution in recent years. Simultaneously, it has already quietly gone back on its promises to phase out virgin plastic and use more recycled materials in its packaging. Instead, an Oceana study found that its annual plastic use is on track to exceed 9 billion pounds by 2030.
Educating yourself about greenwashing is important to ensure you don’t give your hard-earned money to big polluters. You’ll also help send a message to corporations that green business is good business.
What’s being done about boycotting?
The consumer-led boycotts are getting attention from Coca-Cola executives. Quincey said during the first-quarter earnings report that the company would try to win back Latino consumers following the effects of the Latino Freeze Movement, according to TheStreet.
Quincey added in the report that Coca-Cola must address the fallout from the viral video and subsequent boycott, saying, “We are very focused on recovering from it.”
It’s unclear if Coca-Cola would be reassessing its environmental commitments, although that could change if consumers continue to demand accountability from the company.
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