McDonald's, the global food chain giant, anticipates a decline in its international sales for the current quarter, attributing the downturn to widespread boycotts sparked by its perceived endorsement of the Israeli regime's prolonged war in Gaza.
Ian Borden, the Chief Financial Officer of McDonald's, revealed at the UBS Global Consumer and Retail Conference in New York that the first-quarter comparable sales in the company's International Developmental Licensed Markets segment are expected to dip slightly compared to the previous three months.
This announcement follows McDonald's earlier underperformance in the fourth-quarter sales, falling short of Wall Street estimates due to ongoing protests and boycott movements against several Western brands supportive of Israel during the Gaza conflict.
The fast food chain faced criticism as its Israel franchise extended free food offerings to Israeli occupation forces engaged in combat in Gaza, along with providing discounts to service personnel. Similarly, the franchise in the occupied territories reportedly donated complimentary meals and beverages to the Israeli military.
In response, the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement (BDS) advocated for including McDonald's in the list of boycotted entities, accusing the corporation of complicity in the alleged genocide and apartheid against Palestinians by Israel.
The backdrop of these developments lies in Israel's initiation of a military offensive in Gaza on October 7, triggered by actions from Hamas-led Palestinian resistance groups in retaliation against Israel's intensified crackdown on Palestinians. Since the commencement of the offensive, casualties have soared, with thousands of Palestinians killed and injured, alongside a comprehensive siege imposed by Israel on the Gaza Strip, severely affecting the lives of its inhabitants.
