Nestlé Boycott Over DEI: Which Products Could Be Affected?

Nestlé, one of the world's largest food and beverage companies, is the latest target in a wave of consumer boycotts protesting corporate decisions to scale back diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies.

The week-long boycott, set to take place from March 21 to March 28, follows similar actions against Amazon and Target, which faced backlash for their perceived retreat from DEI initiatives.

Unlike previous protests that urged consumers to avoid shopping at a particular retailer, this boycott targets Nestlé's vast product portfolio, including pet food, bottled water, frozen meals, coffee, baby formula, and chocolate bars.

The movement, led by People's Union USA, seeks to pressure Nestlé and other corporations to uphold DEI commitments, while also drawing attention to long-standing criticisms of the company's labor and environmental practices.

Meanwhile, Nestlé has not yet issued a public response to the movement.

Why Are Some People Boycotting Nestlé?

A boycott of Nestlé is part of a larger movement protesting companies that have rolled back DEI initiatives. The campaign follows a pattern of economic protests, with activists seeking to financially pressure corporations they claim are retreating from diversity commitments.

However, the organizers state that the Nestlé boycott—set to begin Friday—is partly driven by allegations of the company's use of child labor.

The campaign is being led by People's Union USA, a grassroots activist organization that previously organized a 24-hour spending freeze on February 28 and a week-long Amazon boycott that ended last Friday. The group has also planned additional boycotts in the coming months against Walmart and McDonald's.

"This is not just another boycott," said John Schwarz, the group's founder, in an Instagram video. "It is a direct hit to one of the most corrupt global corporations there is."

Activists have also pointed to Nestlé's history of controversial practices, including allegations of child labor in cocoa production. In 2019, The Washington Post published an investigative report linking Nestlé to farms using child labor. More recently, in December 2024, the company faced renewed scrutiny over alleged labor law violations, NorthJersey.com reported.

Nestlé has also been accused of environmental violations, water privatization concerns, and unethical marketing of baby formula in developing countries.

The company has been criticized for its bottled water operations, with reports claiming that Nestlé has extracted large amounts of groundwater from drought-affected areas, leading to concerns about privatization and depletion of public water resources.

A 2019 report detailed how Nestlé's privatization of local water has sparked controversy, stirring debate around environmental and human rights issues.

Which Products Could Be Affected by the Boycott?

While the boycott appears to urge consumers to avoid Nestlé products for a week, there is no guarantee of a financial impact.

Nestlé owns over 2,000 brands, covering coffee, pet food, bottled water, frozen meals, candy, and baby formula.

Some of the most recognizable brands under Nestlé include:

1. KitKat – A globally recognized chocolate bar.
2. Purina – Includes pet food brands like Fancy Feast, Friskies, and Beneful.
3. DiGiorno – A well-known frozen pizza brand.
4. Coffee-Mate – A popular coffee creamer brand.
5. Gerber – A leading baby food and formula brand.
6. Nescafé – One of the world's most popular instant coffee brands.
7. Stouffer's – Known for frozen meals, including lasagna and mac & cheese.
8. Poland Spring – A bottled water brand owned by Nestlé.
9. Hot Pockets – A widely consumed frozen snack.
10. Lean Cuisine – A brand offering low-calorie frozen meals.
11. San Pellegrino – A premium sparkling water brand.
12. Cheerios – A cereal brand included in Nestlé's international product lineup.

The boycott is expected to challenge consumers who frequently purchase everyday essentials from Nestlé-owned brands.

Will the Boycott Have an Impact?

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that the Nestlé boycott aligns with other planned economic protests, including a 40-day "Target Fast" led by faith-based organizations and a Walmart boycott scheduled for April.

While some boycotts have had short-term success, research suggests their long-term financial effects are often minimal. A study by Anna Tuchman, a professor of marketing at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, found that buycotts—movements to counter boycotts by encouraging purchases—often negate the financial impact of a boycott.

"When Tuchman and her coauthors, Jūra Liaukonytė of Cornell University and Xinrong Zhu of Imperial College, dove deep into one company's experience, they found the buycott effect swamped the boycott action, and sales actually increased. But the impact evaporated in just a few weeks," Kellogg Insight reported.

Nestlé has not issued a public response regarding the boycott. Whether this movement will cause any noticeable financial or reputational impact remains to be seen.