McDonald’s CEO: Middle East Boycotts Significantly Impact Global Sales

"Several markets in the Middle East and some outside the region are experiencing significant commercial impact due to the war and disinformation affecting brands like McDonald’s," writes Chris Kempczinski in a message posted on LinkedIn, deploring a negative reaction motivated by "disinformation". The shares of this multinational, which achieved a total annual revenue of $23.18 billion in 2022, were slightly down in the Thursday afternoon, according to Reuters. That same year, it operated around 40,275 restaurants in more than 100 countries.

Since the surprise attack by Hamas on October 7 and the continuation of the Israeli offensive, the famous brand is accused of supporting the Israeli army. In November, it had to recall in a post on X that "it does not finance or support any government involved in this conflict; all initiatives of our local Master Franchisees have been taken independently, without the consent or approval of McDonald’s".

Despite these clarifications, the boycott campaigns continue. According to the CEO of McDonald’s, "disinformation is associated" with his company. "In all the countries where we operate, including Muslim countries, McDonald’s is proudly represented by local owner-operators who work tirelessly to serve and support their communities while employing thousands of their fellow citizens," he assured.

The toll of the war between Israel and Hamas continues to rise in Gaza. About 1,200 Israelis have been killed by the Palestinian movement. Israeli military operations have caused the death of 22,438 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas Health Minister.